Ghosts of the Past
by JVNemesis
Summary: An old friend, thought dead, returns in the middle of a new crisis. When the fight with Venom intensifies and loyalties are questioned, which side will she choose? Rated for violence/language. Chapter Fifteen up.
1. Prologue: First Contact

Well, here's my first attempt at a fanfic, reviews/constructive criticism greatly appreciated

**Disclaimer:** StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya, however, is mine. There may or may not be an addition to this next chapter. Watch for it.

**Ghosts of The Past**

Prologue: First Contact

-Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.

**George S. Patton**

The cargo bay door of the supply ship opened with a click and a hiss of repressurization, straightening to a neat 90-degree angle. Inside, the lights flickered on, bathing the numerous stacked boxes with a soft glow. A pair of soldiers dressed in Cornerian military fatigues waited outside, blaster rifles slung carelessly. They stepped forward, one chatting animatedly, the other nodding dutifully, not paying much attention. They began unloading the crates, placing them on a trolley parked beside the supply ship. Neither of them noticed the dark figure slip out from within the ship and vanish into the dimly lit hangar.

Anaiya padded silently towards the door set into the far wall, her knee-high boots making no noise on the metal beneath them. The silver-furred fox smiled to herself as she listened to the chatter of the oblivious guards. Amateurs. They had either been at their post too long or not enough. The numerous pilots and workers around her did not see her anymore than the first two guards had.

A light blinked on in her heads-up display, pulling her attention away from the pair of guards. According to the crimson eyepiece, the door before her required a six-digit passkey to open, which, obviously, she didn't have. Not a problem. The fox unsnapped a small pouch on her left hip and removed her lock breaker. A slight misnomer, the device did not physically break the lock, simply interfaced with it and unscrambled the code, completely undetected, of course. Wouldn't be much use otherwise. It took the expensive piece of equipment a mere seven seconds to decipher the pass code. With a click, the magnetic deadbolts slid back, allowing Anaiya entrance to the underground base. _Let the games begin_, she thought with a grin.

Anaiya entered a long and, unfortunately, well-lit, hallway, closing the door behind her. There was a soft _clunk_ as the deadbolts slid back into place. This was where things became tricky. Stowing away aboard the supply ship had been one of the easiest things she'd done in a long time. Now, though, her form-fitting black stealth suit that worked so well in dark or dim areas made her stick out like a sore thumb.

According to her HUD, the lab she sought was fairly close, down an adjacent corridor to a single elevator and then across a few corridors. She frowned at the eyepiece, then reached up and flicked the unit attached to the headgear she wore. As expected, nothing changed. Missions that paid this much were _never_ that easy. Well, almost never, but this still seemed too good to be true to the suspicious fox. Well, she could always complain later, _after_ she got paid, of course. With a start, Anaiya realized she had been standing in the middle of the hallway, lost in thought. Chagrined, she darted off down the hall.

Reaching the corridor with the elevator, she changed the scanner on her HUD from X-ray to thermal, via her neural chip. With typical military brilliance, this base was equipped with brand-new, fresh-off-the-production-line security cameras, which for some reason gave off excessive heat. Of course, since it didn't affect performance, and getting rid of the glitch would have been expensive, they just kept the devices, sure no one would either notice or care. Anaiya had done her homework, and had both noticed _and_ cared. Armed with said information, she had attuned one of her scanner settings to the precise emission levels given off by the same model camera she had practiced on back at her home.

Activating the scanner, she faced the wall, then leaned ever so slightly toward the corner, the edge of her ear barely showing around the corner. It was enough for the scanner, however. There was a low beep, then a small, red-glowing square appeared in the hazy blue of the thermal vision. She smirked. _Gotcha._ No guards, however. Odd.

It was the work of moments to hack into the localized connections of the camera through the miniaturized keyboard strapped to her left forearm. A few clicks of the keys, and the camera was recording a loop of the last ten seconds. Anaiya strolled around the corner and sauntered casually to the elevator, opening the doors and stepping inside. Her map said two floors down, so that was what she punched into the pad on the wall. A message appeared on the screen, the bright orange letters reading "ENTER AUTHORIZATION CODE." With a sigh, Anaiya retrieved her lock breaker and again interfaced the machine with the elevator computer. She could have entered the same code from the hangar, but chances were that it was different, and it might give her away. Better to be safe. After a moment, the pad flashed green, and the elevator began moving. It traveled down at a slow pace for five seconds, then jarred to a halt. Frowning, Anaiya glanced at the screen again. It read "B1: BOARDING."

The silver fox had a moment for the pieces to click together in her head, then she heard muffled voices from beyond the door. Of course, she wouldn't be the only one using the elevator, she thought, looking around calmly. _There_. The door slid open.

Two raccoons, dressed in the same military clothing as the previous pair of guards, stepped into the empty elevator. One, glancing up, noticed a loose ceiling tile.

"Should let Maintenance know about that," he said, nodding to it. His companion agreed, barely looking at it.

"So what was up with that little 'presentation'?" The other guard shrugged.

"I don't know. That toads always been a little eccentric, but that was a bit much, even for him. I mean, come on, pulling nearly everyone in the building away from what they were doing just to tell us how he thinks someone's going to steal his precious little case? Did he really think that would change anything in how we watch the doors all day?" The first soldier nodded sagely, then yawned slightly.

"Ah, I just want to get home. This day seemed to take forever. Besides, my girlfriend just moved in, and she promised to wait up for me tonight." he grinned suggestively. The other raccoon sniggered appreciatively. Crouched above them in the elevator shaft, Anaiya rolled her eyes. Well, at least she got something out of that conversation. With more personnel returning from wherever they had been, getting out undetected would be more difficult than getting in had been Not that she expected to get out unnoticed anymore, what with the toad having been tipped off that she was coming. Well, it made no difference. Mr. Toad would be deprived of his sample anyway, despite his attempt at securing it.

After the two chatty idiots had gotten off the elevator back at the first floor, Anaiya climbed back inside and pressed the button again, riding back down to her original destination. It took only a few minutes to reach the room she needed, easily avoiding the patrolling soldiers. After a quick jamming of another camera, Anaiya slipped inside the lab without a sound, vanishing unnoticed into the shadows.

The lab was your stereotypical research room, equipped with numerous blinking consoles, computers with scrolling text filling the screens, and bustling, white-clad workers. Seated at a computer near the center of the room was a short toad, his rectangular glasses sliding down his nose. A small attaché case was in his lap, and one of his hands constantly caressed it, as if reassuring himself it was still there. Anaiya smiled wolfishly, a shark sighting prey. _Game time._ This was the most risky part, but also the most exciting. Funny how often those two coincide. A quick scan with her HUD assured her none of the assembled researchers was armed. She stepped forward, her grin concealed behind the mask that covered everything but her stunningly bright green eyes. From her hip, Anaiya drew her top-of-the-line, customized SX-98 blaster pistol. She fired, the searing crimson laser obliterating the camera hidden near the ceiling.

They noticed her, finally. Gasps arose from the workers, and the toad's eyes widened so much that Anaiya thought they would fall out of his head. He stared down at the case he clutched, then comprehension dawned as he looked back at her, fear evident in his expression. The silver fox nodded cheerfully at him.

"That's right, Beltino. Now hand it over, please." She wondered which surprised him more, the fact that she was here in the first place, or that she had said please. The toad shook his head violently, backing away. His assistants cowered by the walls, too frightened to move.

"Whatever they're paying you, I'll double it," he spouted frantically, still backing away. Anaiya sighed. This always happened. They never understood. It wasn't the money; well, after the original price, of course, it was the contract itself. If you broke a contract, you'd better have another job lined up, because you wouldn't be getting any more calls in this one.

"You wouldn't believe what I'm being paid for this, but that's not the point. It's not happening. Now hand it over before I have to _take _it from you." Her voice hardened She was tried of this already. Patience in this kind of situation had never been one of her strong points. Well, there was an easy solution to this. She raised the blaster and fired a shot over his shoulder, causing him to jump so badly he lost his grip on the case. Anaiya swooped in gracefully, snatching the case before it struck the ground. Ignoring the toad's squawking, she opened it. There it was: the vial, along with the papers, just as described. Closing it, the fox smiled at Beltino as she shoved the case into her backpack.

"Thanks for your time. I'll be going now." This was the hard part. Getting back to the hangar before too many guards showed up after the scientists triggered the alarm. With luck, she'd be in a ship on her way out before anyone else realized what happened. The door in front of her slid open.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I thought I heard-" the dog trailed off, staring in slack-jawed amazement at the vixen before him, who wasted no time on such things. The soldier tried to bring his rifle to bear, but Anaiya was already inside his guard. One quick blow from her clenched fist sent the soldier into unconsciousness and to the floor. There was no need for lethality here; killing military personnel was not something you did too often if you wanted to stay out of jail.

Suddenly, she heard her least-favorite sound: the monotone blaring of an alarm, accompanied by the typical red flashing lights. Glaring, she turned to face Beltino, his hand frozen on a button of his computer. _Not good._ Growling, she spun on her heel, sprinting back up the hall to the elevator. Forget the cameras, it was too late anyway. Now she just had to get out.

Stepping into the elevator, she popped the already weakened tile out of place, carelessly dropping it to the floor. Anaiya punched in the very lowest floor button, then leaped out of the hole she had created. In the shaft, she began her ascent, the stacked buttresses making the climb easy. As she had predicted, after moving downward for a few floors, the elevator froze. Anaiya grinned. They were probably wondering what she could possibly be going _away_ from the exit for.

She reached the door to the aboveground floor, then frowned slightly. The elevator doors were programmed to be opened at the push of a button, not manually. Obviously, there was no button on the inside of the shaft. Well, if this door wouldn't work, maybe it was time to make a new one. The vixen carefully made her way to the far side of the shaft, opposite of the door, then drew her blaster. After a quick inspection of her footing, she began firing at the center of the closed doors. The steady stream of laserfire caused the metal to glow red-hot. Anaiya stitched a circle with her fire, then ceased pumping the trigger. She didn't want the metal to turn molten, just to be malleable enough to mold. Mold with a boot, that is. Said boot impacted the softened metal, bending it outward. A few more kicks created a hole, and a few more after those widened it enough for a small figure to fit through. Anaiya ejected the battery on her blaster and checked it. It blinked red. Shrugging, the silver fox shoved the spent ammunition back into her pouch and retrieved another. Only amateurs left behind anything that could possibly be traced back to them. The energy clip slid into place with a satisfying _click._

Anaiya slipped through her new door, careful to avoid touching the superheated metal. Once on the other side, she holstered her blaster and glanced back at the elevator door, or rather the red-glowing hole she had made in the middle of it. Not exactly subtle. Oh well. The vixen started off at a fast jog down the hall, back to the hangar.

Anaiya grimaced, leaning against the door leading into the hangar, the keypad awaiting confirmation of the code she had just punched in. The incessantly blaring alarms and flashing red lights made it impossible to tell if anyone was nearby or not. She breathed deeply; deciding how to handle the fight that would undoubtedly spring up once she opened this door. The group of soldiers emerging from the door she had just exited from made up her mind very quickly. Anaiya spun, slamming her palm down on the enter button as the soldiers began shouting at her, ordering her to freeze, or drop her weapon, or some other nonsense she would never do. They still hadn't figured out that approach only worked against amateurs and cowards. She was neither. The same deadbolts popped out of place and the vixen shoved hard against the door, sending it crashing open. As she expected, no one fired at her. Yet. More shouts echoed from the hallway as she firmly closed the door, then blasted the control panel. As a typical piece of military hardware, it did exactly the opposite of what would have helped the people paying for it. With the destruction of the pad, the door automatically sealed itself. _If I had locks on my ship,_ she mused to herself, _they'd all _un_lock if someone shot one. _If she had a ship big enough to warrant locks. Or doors. She swung about, arrogantly spinning her blaster around on her finger. It completed two spins, then fell limply against her finger as she froze.

_Shit._

At least twenty soldiers stood within the hangar, twice again that number of pilots prepping their ships for launch, all now staring either at her or the sealed door, from which muffled shouts and pounding could be heard. Of course they would be scrambling ships. The most time-efficient way out of the base was to fly. Well, on the upside, she didn't have to hotwire a ship anymore. There were plenty of ready ones to choose from. The problem now would be getting to one of those ships alive. She'd been in worse situations. The important thing was to-

"Don't move!"

Anaiya rolled her eyes. Of course she was going to move. What, did he think she was going to give up so easily? The vixen raised her hands, stepping forward. The guard who had shouted, along with his surrounding friends, yelled at her again, coaxing as many metallic sounds as they could from their guns. As if that would intimidate her. She froze, widening her eyes in mock fear. She might have overdone it a bit, as the guard looked at her suspiciously, then slung his rifle and pulled a pair of cuffs from his belt, moving slowly towards her. He stepped around behind her and reached for her hands. _Perfect._ Anaiya exploded into motion, spinning around behind the guard, drawing his blaster and wrapping her arm around his neck; all in the time it took for the soldiers to readjust their aim. With what they assumed to be a trigger-happy psycho holding a gun to their friend's head, all the guards immediately began telling her to stay calm, they could work this out, no one needed to get hurt. The vixen sighed, then began dragging her terrified hostage towards the nearest ship, a Katinan scout ship. Not exactly top of the line, but it was fast, had good maneuverability and, most importantly, was one of the few military starfighters that housed a hyperdrive. So she had been told. Good enough. She suddenly realized that she had completely tuned out both the "calming" words of the surrounding soldiers, and the nervous pleading of the dog she had by the neck.

"Please, I have a family, a wife and kids, please don't-" She cut him off. She hated groveling, and they always played the family card.

"Well, then you'll have quite a story to tell your grandkids someday, won't you?" She made her voice deeper, just in case. He caught on to what she meant after a moment and sagged with relief.

"You mean you're not going to kill me?"

"Nope, sorry to disappoint you. I'm heading right out." She continued moving steadily back toward the fighter.

"But they'll never open the hangar doors, and you can't just fly through them!" Anaiya rolled her eyes. These grunts were always so uncreative. She gestured up at the long tube attached to the underside of the scout ship.

"See that?"

"Yeah."

"Well, when you press one of those shiny buttons inside the cockpit, a little explosive thing we call a bomb comes shooting out of there really fast. Believe it or not, they make things blow up. Good concept, isn't it? I'm sure it will be more than sufficient to open those doors, don't you agree?"

"Bu-but that'll kill everyone in here! You can't do that!"

"Yeah, it probably will. I guess that's a good reason for you to get those friends of yours to open the doors, 'cause it doesn't matter much either way to me." Actually, it did, but he didn't need to know that. With one of those part-wary, part-terror-filled looks usually reserved for crazy people, her mutt friend began calling out orders frantically. Apparently, fate had decided to throw her a bone, for a change. She'd grabbed someone who had a little authority. A raccoon, the same one from the elevator, actually, reluctantly jogged up to the control tower and typed in a few commands. The hangar doors slid open. Anaiya grinned. _Almost there._ She looked down at her captive audience.

"Well, nice knowing you, see you 'round!" And with that, she shoved him towards the soldiers circling the ship she had backed into, then leaped up into the cockpit, quickly sealing it as blasterfire erupted around her. Not bothering to waste time securing her harness, Anaiya activated the engines, causing the ship to surge forward, out of the barely opened base doors and into the clear skies of Katina. Scattered across the horizon were multiple squadrons of fighters, no doubt launched from other hangars. The vixen considered for a moment, then secured her five-point harness. It might be needed after all.

Her com crackled. A cool, masculine drawl floated through the speakers. He sounded professional, completely in control.

"This is Captain Bill Grey of Bulldog Squadron. Power down and land immediately or we will be forced to open fire on you." Her smile faded. She knew Bill was stationed on Katina, but hadn't expected to run into him. _Not exactly how I planned our reunion._ Well, unless she royally screwed up now, he'd never know it was her. She deepened her voice again.

"I've got a better idea: how about you and your puppies run along and play space commander somewhere else and I'll go my own way. How does that sound?" He sighed.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." He closed the channel. The unit of fighters directly in front of her suddenly sped forward, lasers spraying forth.

"Okay then," the vixen whispered to herself, "let's play hardball." She had no intention of harming Bill or his unit, but she had to get around them and clear the atmosphere before she could jump to hyperspace. She moved her ship into a steep vertical climb, Bulldog moving to intercept. Green fire streamed past her cockpit, and she threw the ship into a tight roll. One laser, _one_ measly laser, grazed her wing and dropped her shields ten percent. Anaiya stared at the readout for a moment, thinking it must be malfunctioning. How shitty were the shields on this thing? Growling some rather explicit curses, the vixen performed a quick U-turn. Or tried to. Instead, she had to pull out halfway through as warning lights flashed and a message scrawled something about damaging hull integrity if the maneuver continued. It seemed she had vastly overestimated this piece of junk. It handled like one of the ancient Cloud Razors, only worse. The com activated again.

"Looks like you had the bad luck to pick the ship that was undergoing repairs. No fancy maneuvering in that thing. Care to give up now?" He laughed. Anaiya turned the ship straight up, pointing toward nearly half of Bulldog barreling downward on her.

"Laugh this off," she snapped, then lobbed a nova bomb. Immediately, all the fighters broke off, scattering to get clear of the explosive. Anaiya, however, slammed on the thrusters, rocketing up and past the bomb, only then activating the device. The ensuing detonation hurled her tiny ship far up, and dropped the shields precipitously, down to almost 20. That didn't matter. She was home free now. It was over. Just a few things left to do. She reopened the com channel to Bill.

" 'No fancy maneuvering,' huh? I'd call that kinda fancy, but that's just my opinion. Nice job out there. It was, what, twelve on one? You should be proud." Before he had a chance to retort, Anaiya shut the channel and laughed victoriously. She did it. She punched in the coordinates of the planet she had left her ship on, then watched as the green rift opened before her, and the ship accelerated into it. They couldn't catch her now. Time to get paid and for some well-earned vacation time. She hadn't had more than a few days off between jobs for almost a month now. Normally, she didn't take jobs that conflicted with the military, both because of patriotism and security issues, mainly security, but the money on this one was just too good to pass by, almost three times as much as her last, which had been a fairly significant amount itself. The vixen entered a new address into the com and paged the person who should be waiting on the other end. After a few seconds, the line connected.

"Do you have it?"

"Yes. I'm on my way to deliver it now."

"Good. I'll be waiting." The line closed. Anaiya leaned back and closed her eyes, exhaling deeply. Definitely not her most challenging mission, but not quite a cakewalk, either. She pulled up the mission report on her HUD:

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

MISSION TIME: 10:57

SAMPLE RETRIEVED: CONFIRMED

SHOTS FIRED: 48

HOSTILES NEUTRALIZED: 1

HOSTILE CASUALITIES: 0

FRIENDLY INJURIES: 0

FRIENDLY CASUALTIES: 0

ACCURACY PERCENT: 4.17

APPROXIMATE PROPERTY DAMAGE: 451,000

PAYMENT: 500,000

DAMAGE TAKEN: NONE

SUPPLIES EXPENDED: BLASTER PISTOL BATTERY

Anaiya frowned at the accuracy. How could that be? Then she remembered the 'door' she had been forced to create. The HUD must have just added those shots in as misses. With a few clicks, she removed that section of the mission from the equation. The screen refreshed after a second of processing.

SHOTS FIRED: 2

ACCURACY PERCENT: 50.0

Much better. Not all that good by itself, but for only two shots fired, it was good enough, and the second shot had just been a distraction. She could have had a perfect score if she had found some other way to make Beltino hand over the case. Ah well, not all that important. The property damage included the door and the ship she was currently in, and was a bit higher than the vixen had expected. Shrugging, she added this new report to her overall mission data

MISSIONS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED: 597

MISSIONS FAILED: 1

TOTAL MISSION TIME: 3276:49:14

SHOTS FIRED: 6, 831

HOSTILES NEUTRALIZED: 939

HOSTILE CASUALTIES: 4,632

FRIENDLY INJURIES: 3

FRIENDLY CASUALTIES: 1

ACCURACY PERCENT: 89.792

APRROXIMATE PROPERTY DAMAGE: 113,892,746,071

DAMAGE TAKEN: 72 BLASTER SHOTS, 78 BROKEN/FRACTURED BONES, 31 LACERATIONS/TEARS, 43 MUSCLES PULLED, 26 STAB WOUNDS

TOTAL TIME SPENT OUT OF ACTION DUE TO INJURIES (APPROXIMATELY): 121 DAYS, 23 HOURS

TOTAL PAYMENT: 7, 978, 230

Anaiya grinned. Not bad at all. She doubted there were many mercenaries out there who could come anywhere near that score. Then her eyes fell on the pulsing red sections, and her smile slid off her face.

MISSIONS FAILED: 1

FRIENDLY CASUALTIES: 1

The vixen shook her head angrily. It hadn't been her fault; there was nothing she could have done…

_The young rabbit, barely ten years old, crouched in the shadow of the crashed car, quaking with fear. People screamed and dashed about in confusion, ignoring the tiny girl. Anaiya could see the terror in her eyes, pleading for the fox to help her. The vixen saw a bloodstained hand-her hand- reach weakly for the child, tremble, then fall limply to the ground. A shadow fell across the girl, and Anaiya saw a dark figure raise his blaster to the child's head and-_

_Get out of the past, _She berated herself, shaking her head violently. There was no time for brooding. It wouldn't change anything. Calling up the mission recordings, she selected _that _mission. A message flashed across her visor.

MISSION 291 RECORDING: CONFIRM DELETE?

Her hand trembled over the button that would erase that memory forever. Could she do it? After a moment, she pressed the button to deactivate the HUD with considerably more force than was strictly necessary. All this time, and she was still not over it. _Weak,_ she hissed scornfully at herself. Firmly, she shoved it all away, as she always did. All she had to do now was dispose of this ship and meet her employer. Then she'd take a nice long break. The recently purified oceans of Zoness looked pretty nice…

Anaiya made sure everything was working correctly, then leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes.

Well, there's the prologue. How was it? Review if you've got something to say. Chapter one coming soon. Expect to see some familiar faces, and watch for an update to the disclaimer.


	2. Chapter One: Old Friends

And here's chapter one. Sorry about the wait, I had some stuff I had to take care of. Again, reviews highly appreciated. Oh, this takes place after the events of Star Fox Adventures, and one of those little comics whose name I can't remember, the one that shows what happened between SF64 and Adventures. Google it. Krystal DID NOT join up with StarFox, sorry fans, but she may show up later anyway, depending on how this goes. Keep reading. Also, for those unaware, Sauria is Dinosaur Planet. Just so you know.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya is mine. Gage Birse and Dagger Team (I know, sorry about the spoilers) are property of Foxmerc. They come from some amazing stories you can find under Foxmerc's profile, "Shattered Past, Hero's Vengeance," "Blood Feud," "Vanguard," and "The Mercenary Wars." Check them out if you're looking for background information about Gage, or just need something great to read.

Chapter One: Old Friends

-Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for.

**Dag Hammarskjold**

A huge, Dreadnought-class cruiser hovered motionlessly in the cold embrace of space. A large crimson logo painted on the side betrayed the ship's identity, as if everyone in the galaxy didn't recognize the _Great Fox_ without it. A lone Arwing soared up from the planet far below, entering the bay on the belly of the _Great Fox._

A red furred fox leaped down from the cockpit of the Arwing, landing lightly on the generic gray plates of the hangar deck. He stretched, then headed off towards the door leading out of the hangar, black boots clicking as he walked. His green flight suit was spotted with dirt, and the silver vest he wore had a small tear on the shoulder. The sleeves on his suit were rolled up. Fox McCloud adjusted the red bandana he always wore, and sighed. Always the same. It had been this way for nearly a year now, the jobs fewer and farther between, and the few he did get were all just stupid little things put up by some lazy idiot somewhere who'd managed to scrounge up some credits.

The elevator stopped at the bridge, and Fox stepped out, still brooding.

The bridge of the _Great Fox_ was filled with a scattering of consoles which ROB, the ship's resident robot assistant, attended. A chair spun around to face him, and Peppy nodded at him.

"Hey, Fox. How was it?"

The vulpine shook his head disgustedly.

"How do you think? I had to help a woman find her son, who, incidentally, was staying only two houses down at a friend's place. Would have been much to hard for her to do it, so she calls us to come across the galaxy. I had to chase the kid halfway across the neighborhood, all 'cause he thought I was coming to collect some money he owed or something." Fox huffed, walking across the room. "The little brat _scratched _me!" He showed the hare the tear in his jacket. "I can't believe we've been reduced to this." He threw himself into the commander's chair, his chair, and activated the computer built into the arm. No messages. Go figure. With a grimace, he thumbed the large viewscreen on via remote, and a reporter popped onto the screen, jabbering about some increase in stock prices. "Where's Slippy and Falco?"

"Slippy's gone off to pick up some new parts he ordered on Macbeth, and Falco went with him, saying something about how he can't take care of himself." Peppy snorted. "I think Slippy could have handled this one himself, but Falco insisted. Said they'd be back before you were."

"How long did they expect me to be gone? A week? It'll take them easily a day to get there, and that much again to get back." Fox returned his attention to the reporter.

"In other news, a facility owned by the Cornerian Military on Katina was recently raided by an unknown number of intruders. Whether they sabotaged something, or stole something is unknown, as the military is being very closed-mouth about this."

Fox glanced at Peppy, who returned the vulpine's widening grin. With something like this, chances were Pepper would contact his best team. _The_ best team. The reporter continued. "One of our reporters managed to catch this footage of one of the intruders leaving. We are assuming the ship is stolen." The screen switched to a poor quality recording of a small military fighter engaging a squadron of Katinan crafts, dodging the lasers of the pursuing vessels and rocketing away after clever use of a Nova bomb.

"We'll keep you updated on this story as it unfolds. Today, a number of imports from Zoness caused the price of-"

Fox muted the screen.

"So how long do you bet until Pepper calls us?" The hare raised a cautionary hand.

"Don't be so sure he'll come to us. He may decide the military can handle it without our help."

Fox grinned confidently.

"Oh, you and I both know how efficient the Cornerian military is. Where would they be without us?" His smile faded as he considered the truth in the hare's words. "No offense, but I hope you're wrong. Well, we'll see what happens. I'll be in my room." He got up from the chair and strode to the door, leaving ROB and Peppy on the bridge.

Alone in his quarters, Fox stared out of the window into the black recesses of space. This could be the first big job in a very long time. After Shears and the incident on Sauria, the number of jobs that had been available had slackened considerably. It was as if the entire galaxy was settling down, to the dismay of Fox and his team. Not that peace was a bad thing, of course, but it meant they might have to find another line of employment before too long. Time would tell. And then there was Krystal. Fox sighed deeply. The enigmatic vixen had appeared on the _Great Fox_ after Fox had again destroyed Andross. He had asked her to join the team, hoping against hope that she would accept. As he had suspected, however, she had given him a sad little smile, told him she hadn't yet found the answers she had set out for. With that, and a promise to see him again once she succeeded, Krystal had returned to her ship and vanished from his life. That had been almost a year ago. With nothing to do except wait for Falco and Slippy to return, he decided to get in a bit of practice with his blaster.

The range on the _Great Fox_ was large, nearly a hundred meters lengthwise, big enough to practice with all the weapons at optimal range besides the sniper, despite the fact that not too many of the guns remained in the adjacent armory. They had had to get rid of a number of the weapons usually stored on the ship because of how expensive some of the devices were, particularly the rocket launchers. Only one or two of each weapon was still locked in the racks, looking rather lonely in slots meant to hold a dozen rifles. Fox activated one of the targets. These targets were manikins with a unique, paper-thin shield surrounding them which, when hit with an energy weapon, would glow brightly in the part targeted. They could withstand anything up to and including a rocket shot or sustained machine gun fire.

The figure popped up, and Fox drew his blaster from the holster on his right hip, aimed, and squeezed off four rapid blasts. The first shot struck in the upper chest, the second dead center, and the other two on the shoulder. The vulpine grimaced. Not very good. He was rusty. Well, there was plenty of time to practice now.

He continued with the pistol for a while, the feel of the relatively unused weapon coming back quickly, as his shots grew closer and closer together. Fox moved on to one of the assault rifles, which he was even worse with. Two energy clips later, he was doing significantly better than when he had started.

"Fox!" Peppy's voice blasted through the intercom, startling Fox and causing his burst to go wide, missing the target completely. Fox glared up at the speaker, annoyed.

"What?"

He could almost see his old friend smiling as he spoke. "I think this will be the one time I'll be glad to hear you say 'I told you so.' "

Fox's heart leaped. "Let me guess: Pepper's on the line?"

"Hole in one. Get up here." The hare hung up. Fox hurriedly replaced the assault rifle on the disappointingly empty rack, reloaded and holstered his pistol, then jogged out of the armory.

As he walked to the bridge, Fox's mind raced. It seemed he had been right after all: Pepper needed their help again. The vulpine hoped that the Cornerian general had some leads, or else this might take a while to solve. Pepper would give the team all the details he had, so they would have some base to build upon. Touching a control pad, the bridge door slid open.

The room was now illuminated by a large, glowing hologram of the famous, red-clad dog Fox knew so well. General Pepper smiled as he caught sight of the emerging vulpine. He seemed strained, somehow, and there were dark circles around his eyes.

"Fox! Good to see you again." Fox grinned.

"Hey, general. Need some help?" The general huffed slightly, clearing his throat.

"Yes, um, right. That is what I called you about. As you might have heard, one of our bases on Katina was attacked, and a valuable specimen our scientists were working on was stolen. I need you to find the specimen. Locating the thief is optional, though they will most likely be together. Of course, you will be handsomely paid." Fox's smiled widened.

"That's what I like to hear. But why was the base under Cornerian military? Shouldn't the Katinan government have presided over it?"

"Technically, yes. This was a special case." The vulpine waited for Pepper to continue, then raised an eyebrow after a moment.

"And?"

"And," the general continued, "Information about this base is on a strict need-to-know basis." Fox grimaced.

"And let me guess: I don't need to know?"

"I don't think that information has anything to do with your assignment," he said reprovingly. "It should not affect how you handle this investigation." Fox threw his hands up in defeat.

"Alright, alright, I get it. No questions. What is it I'm looking for, exactly? I suppose I can ask _that?_" The general glared at him, then nodded.

"The item stolen was in a small silver case, which may or may not still hold your objective. Inside was a small vial, about half a foot in length, matte gray in appearance, and capped with a small device, which contained a coded lock. There were also quite a few papers with what would probably seem gibberish to you. These are secondary. The sample is what is important. And before you ask," He said, annoyed, as Fox opened his mouth, "No, I can't tell you what it is. All you need to do is recover it. And Fox," Pepper leaned forward, and his eyes burned with a feverish light, "You _have_ to find it! We've been searching fruitlessly since it disappeared, and we're running out of time, that's why I turned to you. You have no idea how important this is, or how much damage it could do in the wrong hands." Fox's expression grew grave.

"That bad, huh?" The general nodded curtly. "Well, do you have any leads? Or do you just want me to fly blind and try and pick up the trail?"

Pepper smiled, and he looked a bit less intense.

"Ah, there's a spot of good news, and I've got some particularly good for you." He nodded wisely as Fox cocked his head. "Yes. We managed to get a location on where the thief ditched the stolen ship. Also, after we failed to locate the thief on our own, and we voted to call you in, we agreed to pair you with a military team, just to keep updated. We asked for volunteers." His eyes twinkled. "Who do you think stood up quickest?" He stepped aside, and his space was filled by a red fox dressed in green camouflage, with a small black patch on his shoulder. Gage Birse grinned and waved.

"Hey, old buddy. How've you been?"

Fox grinned back, delighted. Good ol' Gage. He always came through.

"Hey. This is certainly better circumstances than the last time we met. How's the team?" Gage chuckled.

"You got that right. Dagger? Oh, the usual. Saving everybody's ass without them ever knowing they were in trouble, nothing new." He smirked at Fox. "They'll be glad to see you again, I think. It's been awhile. Ley, Hart, Penick, Beaudoin, and Rhiain will stay back at base unless we need them, checking out some leads and using the massive database to look up all the shit we'll need."

"And where will you be?"

"I'll be on the _Great Fox,_ of course. Unless you have a problem with that?" Fox's lip twitched.

"And if I did? Would that stop you?"

"Not in the least." Same old Gage.

Pepper stepped back into the hologram.

"You can both do all your catching up later. Fox, come to Corneria and pick up Gage, we'll give you the rest of the information then." Fox nodded.

"Sounds good. See you then." Gage turned to go, grinning.

"Don't get lost on your way over."

"Don't worry about me. I'd say I've had harder places to find." He closed the channel, his heart lifting. It would be good to see Gage again. They would have a lot of catching up to do, as Pepper had said. With the incredible skills of Dagger Team, this mission might be a cakewalk after all. One other detail to take care of. He turned to Peppy.

"I want you to go to Macbeth and find Slippy and Falco. I can't wait for them to get back, so meet up with them, then call me. I'll come pick you guys up." The old hare nodded, then stood and stretched.

"Well, guess I'd better get going, shouldn't I? Have fun at your reunion." His gaze turned stern. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

Fox widened his eyes innocently. "Me, do something stupid? Perish the thought."

Peppy held his look, for a minute, then looked down.

"You're going to go off with Gage and do something no matter what I say, aren't you? It's probably going to involve getting shot at, as well."

Fox pretended to think for a moment.

"Yeah, I'd say that's a pretty safe bet."

The hare sighed.

"I'm going to head out now. Don't go getting yourself killed, you hear?"

"Yes, mom," Fox said sarcastically. "Have a safe trip. Oh, and I told you so." Peppy glared at him, then stomped out of the bridge, muttering something about 'reckless upstarts.' Maybe not so glad after all.

A few minutes later, Fox watched from the bridge's window as Peppy's Arwing emerged from the _Great Fox_ and soared off into space.

'ROB, set course for Corneria."

"Affirmative," came the reply from the emotionless robot. Fox turned away. He was alone again.

The _Great Fox_ appeared above Corneria three hours later, slowing to a stop. Minutes later, a small shuttle sped up from the surface to meet it.

Fox stood in the hangar as the boarding ramp of the shuttle opened, and Gage Birse stepped out. He pulled his friend into a tight embrace, and Fox returned the gesture. After a moment, they separated, and Fox pointed at the ship.

"You fly that here?" Gage scoffed.

"Hell no. You think I'd be able to pilot something like that? Or any ship, for that matter. Like I told you before, I'll stay on the ground, you stick to the air."

"That was a while ago. I figured you'd have updated your repertoire by now."

"Heh, I have, just not in that area. Sorry to cut this short, but we've got a job to do. We can catch up later." Fox nodded. Time to be professional. He saw without really noticing the pilot of the shuttle unloading a few bags, stacking them on the ground outside the ship.

"Right. Pepper said he'd have some more stuff to give me. Did you bring it?"

"Yeah. I'll need a projector to show you, though; it's video footage."

"Okay," Fox said, walking away from the ship, " let's do that on the bridge." The pair strode out of the hangar as the shuttle that had brought Gage took off, returning to the planet's surface.

"So where's the rest of your gang," Gage asked as they entered the elevator and Fox punched a button.

"Slippy and Falco were off collecting some order Slippy placed on Macbeth when Pepper called, so I sent Peppy after them to tell them to stay put. We'll pick them up later."

"So just you, me, and tin head. Just like old times."

"More or less," Fox replied as the doors snapped open. They walked onto the bridge, and Gage handed Fox a small, black memory disk. The vulpine walked over to a console and linked the devices. On the main viewscreen, two files popped up, both unlabeled, and clearly visual recordings.

"Play that one," Gage said, indicating the left video. Fox complied. The high quality footage was of a nearly empty hangar, a few pilots going about their routines, nothing out of the ordinary. He glanced at Gage.

"This is from the base that was broken into," the vulpine explained. A bulky supply ship entered the film and landed in the center of the hangar. Two security guards walked up to it as the door opened, one chatting animatedly. They stepped inside and began unloading crates, stacking them for transportation. After a few seconds, the footage stopped. Confused, Fox turned again to Gage, who was grinning.

"Yeah, I didn't see it the first time either. Here." He stepped up the console and rewound the video, then played it in slow motion. "Watch right…here!" The guards stepped into the shuttle incredibly slowly, Fox watched intently. What was he missing? _There._ Just barely visible, a black clad figure appeared on the camera for a brief moment. He leapt out of the ship over the heads of the oblivious guards before vanishing behind the shuttle. Even slowed down, it was obvious how quickly the mysterious figure moved, judging by the jump of his movements between frames.

"Whoa," Fox breathed. "He's _good._" When Gage didn't reply, the vulpine turned toward him. Gage was giving him one of those arrogant, I-know-something-you-don't-know looks, the kind that usually annoyed Fox a great deal. Today was no exception. "What?" Gage fast-forwarded the video to an empty hallway, red lights flashing and alarms blaring.

"Watch this. This is the only other video we've got from the base."

There was only the sound of the alarms on the screen as the camera panned slightly, then came the unmistakable, though slightly muffled, sound of blaster shots. A lot of them. At the edge of the camera, you could just see what appeared to be an elevator door. A glowing bubble was growing rapidly, expanding outwards in a circle; it looked as though the door was melting. The shots ceased. The circle suddenly popped as a black combat boot was thrust through the weakened metal. The boot widened the hole, then the black clad figure carefully slipped through the gap and jogged off down the hall. The top of a silver case was visible from his backpack. Gage froze the image. "Think about what you said before. Now take a close look." Fox leaned towards the screen, frowning. The figure wore an extremely tight black jumpsuit, but for such a tight suit, it seemed to be a bit too…large, around the chest and rear. Large for a guy, that is._ Ah._ It clicked. Fox looked to Gage, who nodded an affirmative.

"I didn't believe it myself, at first. That's one badass girl. Whod've guessed it was a chick that could pull something like that off?" Fox smirked.

"Don't let Andrea hear you say that. I bet she could kick your ass."

Gage considered.

"Maybe. I wouldn't bet on it, yet. She's good, but not _that_ good." Fox snickered, leaned back with a sigh.

"Well, that kinda threw off my list of suspects. What was in that other file?"

"That's our lead. Pepper's got people there now, trying to salvage anything they can."

"Salvage from what?"

"Be patient and watch." The video began rolling. It showed a small spaceport, with what looked like Corneria City in the background. The recorder appeared to be near the end of the port, as the view was turned to survey the ocean below. The camera wobbled as it swung around, taking in all the ships. Excited gasps could be heard from out of the camera's field of vision.

"Got this off a tourist who happened to be there," Gage added as he watched the screen. "Lucky us, or we'd never had heard about this. It'd be dismissed as an accident." The camera continued to swing, and Fox's eyes narrowed suddenly.

"Isn't that-" His words were cut off as the Katinan scout ship parked a few rows down from the cameraman exploded in a fiery ball, spraying shrapnel everywhere. The camera jerked violently, and piercing screams could be heard as the camera was dropped. It landed on its side, but continued to record. Turning his head, Fox could see a figure silhouetted by the blaze. It was impossible to make out any details, what with the poor quality and the interference of the fire, but Fox was sure it was the same woman. She walked casually over to the edge of the port, and tossed a small black object into the water below. She then sauntered away from the burning ship, apparently oblivious to the terrified screams of the tourists. The video cut out. Fox let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Not much to go on," he said. Gage shrugged.

"You never know. The salvage team might find something, maybe a fingerprint. Though I doubt it. If she can pull off what we just saw and get away with it, even for a little while, I'm really not counting on her making a mistake like that."

Fox thought about it, then nodded.

"You're probably right. Should we head down and see what they've found?"

"I planned on that." Fox frowned slightly.

"Then why didn't I just meet you on the surface?"

Gage gave him a small grin.

" I brought a few toys with me. I remember what your armory looked like last time I was here."

Fox shrugged ruefully.

"You'll have a fit when you see it now. Come on, ROB will take the ship down to the port Pepper's guys are at, and I'll help you with your 'toys.' What did you bring this time?"

"Some _very_ nice pieces of hardware, fresh off the top-secret military assembly line. I just got this new rifle in, it's amazing…"

Some time later, the _Great Fox_ landed in the same starport the stolen ship had exploded. The ship in question was currently strewn all across the ground, in chunks of varying sizes. The fire had long since been extinguished. Technicians scurried all over, inspecting pieces of debris, running scans, and all the other things engineers did. Gage and Fox strolled in, receiving many startled glances. Well, Fox was. Very few people knew who Gage and his team were, or what they did for everyone.

Gage nudged Fox with his elbow and pointed to a jet-black raven in a military uniform, with the double silver bars of a lieutenant pinned to his chest. The bird was reading from a datapad, occasionally glancing up to answer something one of the techies asked.

"That's Lieutenant Reines. He's in charge here. Dagger's worked with him before."

At that moment the lieutenant, looking up, spotted them and lowered the datapad, waving them over.

"General Pepper told me you'd be showing up sooner or later," he said crisply, saluting. "Good to have you on board."

Fox and Gage returned the salute.

"Good to be here," Fox replied. "What've you got?"

"Not much, so far. No prints, no video, other than what the General sent over with you, Captain," he nodded at Gage. "We'll be lucky find much more. The explosive was placed directly over the hard drive, with enough charge to destroy the ship and very little around it. Whoever planted it knew what he was doing."

Fox smiled slightly. The lieutenant made the same assumption he had. Everyone probably did. Guess that was just one of the perks of being a female agent. If Gage hadn't spotted the fact that it was a woman on the video, they'd be wandering the galaxy looking for the wrong gender. That _might_ have made it slightly more difficult to find her. Fox returned his attention the raven, who was still speaking.

"…I still don't understand. Why come here, of all places? After stealing from a military base, he goes straight to the place people are most likely to recognize the ship he's in."

"Actually," Gage cut in. "It's a pretty sound plan, as long as you're careful. Who would've thought to look here if we hadn't happened to get our hands on that video? She just wasn't expecting any tourists to be hanging around." Reines frowned.

" 'She'?" Gage nodded.

"Yep. It's a woman." The lieutenant's eyes widened considerably, and his mouth opened slightly.

"Oh." He cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed. "Well. That changes things." He quickly typed in a small note on his datapad, then pocketed the device. " My search teams have been searching for a man." Gage nodded again, this time slightly sympathetically.

"I just figured it out a little while ago, or I would've told you right away."

One of the techs came running up, waving a blackened box wildly.

"Sir!" All three turned toward him.

"What did you find?" Reines demanded. The raccoon, panting slightly, thrust the box forward.

"It's the call log, sir. We just managed to find it." Reines looked surprised, and Fox was sure his expression mirrored the lieutenant's.

"How? I thought the bomb was right on top of it," the raven said, frowning. The tech wore a slightly smug grin.

"I'd bet that's what he thought too, sir. It is, on _Cornerian_ fighters. On _Katinan_ scout ships, however, everything is spread out, so if the ship is hit, they may only lose a few systems, instead of all of them. The call log and navigation charts are positioned behind the pilot's chair. The chair absorbed the majority of the damage, so we may be able to find the last calls he made, if any. Also, if he went anywhere besides here with that ship, we'll know soon."

Reines smiled.

"Excellent work. Get a move on with that." The tech scurried off as the raven turned to Fox and Gage. "Look's like luck loves us. Trust the Katinans to think of something like that for their ships, although now, I'm glad they did. Maybe we'll get really lucky, and she'll have called whoever she's bringing the case to. That would make my day. You can watch and see if the techs come up with anything, if you want." He hurried off. Gage turned to Fox.

"It shouldn't take all that long for them to pull the call logs up. A few minutes, tops. Let's just wait a bit." Fox agreed. They walked over to the small tent where the techies had dragged all of their computers and everything else they needed.

Inside, people bustled about, checking beeping terminals, chatting about this piece of the ship, or that section Bill found. They all fell silent for a moment as Fox and Gage entered, then resumed their conversations, though not without stealing glances at the pair every so often when they thought no one was looking. The same raccoon from outside waved frantically at them form a corner of the room, where he and two others were bent over the scorched call log. Various cables and other wires were attached to the device. Fox had no idea what any of them were for.

"I knew you'd come. We managed to salvage the log after all. Apparently, our thief made just one call, and it lasted only a few seconds. We should be able to play it any time now." He stepped over to a blinking console and began typing furiously, fingers flying over the keyboard. Gage glanced at Fox, who shrugged, and they waited.

"So how's Andrea?" Fox asked. A small smile flickered across Gage's muzzle.

"She's doing well. She moved in with me, just a month or so after you left. While I'm off on missions with Dagger, she'll sometimes take jobs as a bounty hunter. She's getting pretty damn good at it, too. You'll have to come by sometime. I'm sure she'd be glad to see you again." Fox grinned.

"I'd love to. As long as she doesn't hit me over the head again."

"I think she's past that stage," Gage replied with a small chuckle. Their conversation was interrupted by the technician's triumphant shout.

"Got it!" Gage and Fox peered over his soldier. On the screen, a small message blinked.

FILE RECOVERED: PLAY?

The raccoon looked to the two vulpines for confirmation, and Gage gestured for him to continue. He pressed the button. After a second, Fox heard a voice, distorted by the quality of the recording, but recognizably male.

"Do you have it?" Another voice, this one higher, and female. More than likely the thief. There was something about the voice that was vaguely familiar. There was also a bit of strain in her voice, as though she was reluctant to be having this conversation.

"Yes. I'm on my way to deliver it now." The man spoke again.

"Good. I'll be waiting." There was a click as the call ended.

The tech stared at them, excitement visible in his beady eyes. Fox looked at Gage, who stared at the screen thoughtfully.

"Was it me, or did she sound kinda pissed at having to talk to this guy?"

"That's what I thought too," Fox agreed, nodding. "What does that mean?"

Gage shrugged.

"Dunno. I'm gonna send this file over to Dagger, I'm sure they'll have a trace on it soon." He reached over and unplugged the box from the wires, silencing the startled squawks of the surrounding techs with a flat look.

"It's a _girl_?" the raccoon technician asked, shocked.

Back on the _Great Fox_, Fox and Gage were chatting on the bridge, awaiting the trace from Dagger.

"And then," Fox said, " She just grabbed her staff, totally ignoring me. I jumped into my Arwing and took Andross out, with a little help from Falco, who decided to show up just in time."

Gage snorted.

"You get into some seriously weird shit, man. I'd heard of Shears, he was a nut job even before he went over to Andross. I heard he'd died back on Macbeth. He was overseeing the Venomian base there, the one you blew up." Fox chuckled.

"Oh yeah, that one."

"So, where is she, this Krystal?"

"Gone." Fox sighed. "Came on board, said thanks, then just left. She was looking for her parents' killer, and said she had to find whoever did it. Then she'd come back."

"Ah well," Gage said bracingly, "She'll show up somewhere, eventually. Don't worry about it." Fox grimaced slightly.

" I guess you're right. So what've you been up to with Dagger, lately?"

"Well, last week we-" The sudden appearance of General Pepper's hologram cut him off. Behind him stood a pretty leopardess.

"Good afternoon, you two!"

"Hey, General," Fox responded, "Hey, Ley. What's up?" The woman smiled at him.

"Hey, Fox. Good to see you again. Listen, I completed the trace on that call you sent in, Captain." Gage leaned forward.

"You got a location?"

"Yeah. Wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. It's a space station, old Venomian base abandoned after McCloud here tore through the asteroid field." Fox grinned and bowed to the holograms. "It's built into one of the larger asteroids. I'm sending the coordinates to you now." Fox jumped out of his chair and moved over to a computer, punching the coordinates Ley sent into the memory of his ship.

"Thanks, Ley," Gage said, also getting up. "I don't think this'll be much of a problem, General. We'll come pick Dagger up and head right over." Pepper frowned.

"Are you sure? I could send a few ships with you. I'm sure Lieutenant Reines would be more than happy to come along in the _Raven's Flight._" Fox's eyebrows rose. The _Raven's Flight_ was a full-size battle cruiser. It could probably take out the entire station in a single shot. There had to be more to this than Pepper let on. Evidently Gage agreed, because he said flatly

"You sure you told me everything, General, 'cause I think the _Raven's_ a bit more firepower than we'll need for this." It wasn't a question. Pepper flushed slightly.

"I've told you all you need to know. I'll put the Lieutenant on standby, and if I don't hear from you every hour, I'm sending him in." Fox took over.

"All right, General. _Great Fox _out." He closed the channel. The holograms vanished. Falling back into his chair, Fox looked at Gage. "He's holding something back." Gage nodded slowly.

" Yeah. I just hope we don't get killed for it."

Wow, that was a bit longer than I expected. No action this chapter, but it picks up A LOT next time. Stick around.


	3. Chapter Two: Reunion

And here comes chapter two

And here comes chapter two, finally. Version three of chapter two, actually. I rewrote this a couple of times before I liked it. As I said before, much more action than the last chapter. There have been a few techinical errors, as well. Something messed up when I uploaded this chapter. It's not the same as the one I saved. I think I got all the mistakes, but there may be a few typos here and there. Go with it. Also, I decided to compress my ideas for chapters two and three into this, so it's a bit longer than I expected. Plot twists galore. Enjoy. And yes, the disclaimer is copy/pasted from the last chapter, as it will be for every chapter. So if you read it last time, don't bother. If you didn't, then you probably don't plan on ever reading it, so I won't bother telling you to.

Oh, and in case you haven't picked up on it yet, the point of view will switch every chapter, and sometimes in breaks mid-chapter, between Fox and Anaiya. Anaiya's up again here, though it will switch later in. This overlaps with last chapter: it's what Anaiya was doing during that time. It'll catch up a bit later in. Also, italics mean flashbacks, thoughts, sounds, (Like _clunk,_ or something) or exclamations. I don't like caps much, so instead of "WHAT?" It'll be "_What?"_ Unless I have a _really_ good reason. We'll see.

Foxkong: Thanks for the awesome review. (The _only_ review cough cough) I kid you not, this is the first thing I've written that has gone longer than a page or two, and none of those are any good at all. And no, the friend who got me to write is an artist, not a writer. She's just very persistent. No, I didn't give away anything in my little hints that you can't figure out from this chapter. I went to check out your profile and saw your favorite quote. I just felt I'd show you one of the quotes I've come across. It kind of mutilates the moral of your quote, but there it is.

-Power corrupts. Absolute power is kind of neat.

John Lehman

Most of you have no idea what's going on now, and that's fine with me. Now scroll down and read the story.

I'll put this down here so you don't miss it, Fox. I added another line to the section I sent you, so be sure to read it again below. It's a dead giveaway if you read later in, but I had to make sure _everyone_ got what I was hinting at, not just the more observant ones. Oh, and I'd love to play email tag some more, so hit me up once you finish the chapter and let me know what you think.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya is mine. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. They come from some amazing stories you can find under Foxmerc's profile, "Shattered Past, Hero's Vengeance," "Blood Feud," "Vanguard," and "The Mercenary Wars." Check them out if you're looking for background information about Gage, or just need something great to read.

Chapter Two: Reunion

-It is always the best policy to speak the truth--unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar.

**Jerome K. Jerome**

_She lay on the hard ground, unable to move. Agony seared her ravaged body as she strained to reach the pistol just out of reach. Just a bit farther… _

_A black boot slammed down on her wrist. She heard a crack as new pain flooded her. She convulsed, letting out a small whimper. She managed to raise her head to stare with undisguised fury at the figure above her. She couldn't make out many details with the sun directly behind him, blinding her. All she could see was a long black tail swishing back and forth. He clapped slowly, his head tilted towards her. Whenever his hands came together, there was a slight metallic clang. _

"_Bravo. You'll do nicely. But first, I think you need to be a bit more…_pliable,_ if you catch my drift." His hand came up, pointing at her. Her mind had just registered what the sleek, black object in his hands was when he fired. _

Anaiya came awake with a strangled scream, bolting upright in the cockpit as she clutched at her chest. Her head slammed into the low glass protecting her from space outside, and a steady stream of curses flooded from her mouth as she rubbed her now tender forehead. She leaned back slowly. The dream again. Anaiya laid a hand on the left side of her chest, feeling the old scar through her clothing, just below her breast. The vixen had assumed she'd gotten over the nightmares, but the coming meeting must have triggered them again. With an irritated grimace, Anaiya checked the time. It was about an hour since she'd entered hyperspace. She grunted, annoyed. The only sleep she'd managed to get for the last two days, only to have it ruined after an hour.

A loud beep distracted her, and she glanced at the console of her stolen ship. According to the display, she had entered Corneria's atmosphere, and the autopilot was taking her in for a landing. At the main starport of Corneria City, no less. That would not do. With a flip of a switch, Anaiya deactivated the autopilot and steered the fighter towards the edge of the enormous city, near the ocean. There was a small, hardly used spaceport there that would work perfectly. After reengaging the autopilot with the new destination selected, she opened her backpack and removed a small, white device with a pad on the top. Carefully, she attached the explosive to the screen directly above the ship's main computer and set it to detonate via remote. An ominous red light blinked on. Gingerly taking said remote, she held it as she waited for the ship to land.

A minute or so later, the fighter shuddered as it impacted the ground, and the computer shut down, after informing Anaiya they had reached their objective. The cockpit unlocked with a hiss, then rose. The vixen vaulted over the edge of the ship and stretched, cracking her joints. A small group of animals stood at the opposite end of the port, giggling to each other and staring at the water and the surrounding ships. The one in the middle had a camera, trying to record everything at once. Anaiya snorted. _Tourists. _She began walking towards the exit to the parking lot, her easy stroll revealing none of the emotions within her. After putting ten yards between herself and the ship, the vixen raised the detonator and pushed the button.

Anaiya felt the heat of the explosion on her back, and heard the screeching of the tearing metal as the bomb ripped the fighter apart. Shrapnel sprayed everywhere, and she heard screams. Not pain-filled screams, no one had been caught in the blast; she'd just given them quite a scare. Oh well. It'd be good for them. With a casual flick of her wrist, the used detonator soared out over the safety rail to land with a _plop_ in the water below. Now that the ship was taken care of, it was time to grab her own vessel and get off this rock. She continued her walk, ignoring the terrified tourists crouched behind a large shuttle. The camera lay forgotten on the ground.

Once in the parking lot of the spaceport, Anaiya accessed her options. She could call for a ride; there were always cabs, and some people around here owed her a few favors. But the cab would take a while, and she didn't particularly feel like chatting with her buddies now. Her gaze settled on the parked vehicles nearby, and she quirked an eyebrow thoughtfully. _That works, too._

A few minutes later, the vixen pulled out of the lot in a blindingly bright red hovercar, complete with a retractable roof, which she promptly rolled back. If it had luxuries, why not take advantage? The wind felt good on her face as she pulled off her mask and sped toward the heart of Corneria City.

Anaiya scratched behind her ear with one hand, the other deftly maneuvering the hovercar through the crowded streets. People bustled at every corner, walking quickly, eager to get on with their lives. The huge neon signs were the same as the last time she'd been here, brilliantly bright and boring at the same time. As enjoyable as they might be to look at, hardly any one ever bought the advertised wares. The windows of the street shops were crammed to bursting with all kinds of items, from food to weapons and everything in between. The latter she rewarded with a second look, but they were nothing special. Nothing you could buy on the street, openly, of course, could compare to the equipment the vixen had stashed away. Before heading to the spaceport where her ship was positioned, there were a few things she needed to pick up from one of the apartments here in the city she used for storage, or a safe house if things got bad. The government didn't think creatively. Where do the police never look when searching for a convict? In the jail cells. Hiding right under their noses had worked many times before.

Anaiya stopped as the light at the intersection before her flashed red. Pedestrians hurried across the road, some of the closer ones giving her strange looks. The vixen glared back, wondering what they were looking at. Glancing down, she remembered she was still in her black combat suit. _Oh. _That's_ what they were looking at._ Understandable. They probably thought she was a hooker, or something.

In the lane next to her, a sleek black vehicle screeched to a halt, startling the civilians crossing the street. Obscenely loud music blared from the car, and the vixen's hovercar shuddered from the base. She turned her head. An enormous, heavily muscled bear grinned at her from the driver's seat, revving the car's engine in an unmistakable meaning. Anaiya let her head tilt slightly, putting on one of those _Come on, seriously?_ Looks. He smirked some more, then leaned over.

"That's what I thought, baby," he yelled to her, patting himself on the chest. "Nobody wants a piece of ol' Penick anymore."

Anaiya rolled her eyes. This punk needed to be taught a lesson, but they were in a public place. _Although…_ After a moment's hesitation, the vixen flipped open the mini keypad on her wrist and typed in a quick command. Her HUD activated and slid into place. It showed no police cruisers within two miles. Very tempting, but she had to avoid unnecessary attention.

The bear shouted again.

"Why don't you come on down to my place darling and I'll give you a different piece of me. How's that sound?"

Anaiya's eyes narrowed. Screw attracting attention, this guy was going _down._ Damn, this light was long.

The vixen revved her own engine.

"Tell you what," she called over to the prick, "you beat me, and then we'll talk."

The bear's grinned widened.

"Sounds good to me, girl. Gotta tell you, I haven't lost yet. Looks like you're spending the night with me." _Oh, will I?_

"We'll see."

"Yeah, _I'll_ see a bit more than that tight-ass suit you've got on now is showing me."

The vixen ground her teeth. What was with this light?

The road cleared of people, and the light blinked green. Immediately, the black vehicle roared to life, shooting off down the road. Anaiya gunned her own car. She was _not _going to lose a street race to this punk.

This was a perfect location for the race; it was a straight road for quite a ways. Slowly, the vixen's hovercar drew level with the black one. Anaiya could see the bear, bent over the wheel, face tight with concentration. _Damn, this car is slow._ Compared to the ones she was used to. Then again, those weren't exactly legal, but whatever.

The bear had a very nice car, she could see that. The only reason she was coming close in this piece of junk was because he wasn't pushing the vehicle to its limits, like she was with hers.

He realized she was gaining and accelerated some more, pulling ahead. The vixen shook her head. He was going to win, if she didn't do something unorthodox. Well, no one had ever accused her of playing by the rules.

Anaiya reached down to a pouch on her left hip, right hand controlling the speeding car. Unsnapping the pouch, she withdrew a small, razor-edged knife that glittered in the sun like some kind of gem. Concealing it in her palm, she draped her left hand casually along the side of the vehicle. Anaiya hesitated. It would be a shame to ruin such a nice car over so small an argument.

The bear eased off the throttle a bit and dropped back beside her.

"What's wrong, baby?" he shouted. "Too fast for you? Hope you can keep up better tonight than you're doing now."

Anaiya's wrist flicked, and the knife whirled out to stick in the exhaust port of the bear's vehicle, shearing clean through one side to halt, quivering, in the opposite surface. Nothing too dangerous, perhaps, but killing him wasn't what the vixen intended.

As she guessed, his super high-tech car, with its fancy computer and all that, registered something blocked the exhaust, and immediately shut down. The look on his face as his prized vehicle clunked out, skidding across the road to a stop some fifty feet later was priceless. This _definitely _deserved a parting shot. She pulled up next to him, a look of obviously feigned concern pasted on her muzzle.

"Aw, that's too bad," she said sympathetically, trying to hold back her grin. She failed miserably. "What's wrong with your car?"

"You did something," he roared, pressing every button he could lay his hands on, trying to get it to start again. "What did you do to my car?"

Anaiya's façade of concern melted, to be replaced by wide-eyed, air headed innocence.

"Me?" She asked, sounding shocked. "What could a silly girl like me know about big expensive cars like that?"

The bear growled out some expletives as he got out and gave the vehicle a sound kick.

"Sorry to ruin your night," Anaiya continued smugly, "but if you don't have a car, you can't expect to take me home tonight, can you?" She put a hand over her mouth, glancing behind her with a startled look. "Oh, I seem to be blocking the road. Guess I'd better move, don't you think?" The vixen gunned the motor. "See you later."

Surprisingly, the bear dropped his angry look and grinned at her.

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to find you. I love a good chase."

Anaiya rolled her eyes, then sped off down the road.

She arrived at one of her storage apartments a few minutes later, but continued on past it for about two blocks, then ditched the car. The walk back was fun, the vixen received quite a number of whistles from men, and a mixed bag from the women, some outraged, some thoughtful. Of course, she had stashed her blaster and most of her other gear in the backpack she now carried at her side like a purse, or something. Being in the know about the latest styles and the height of fashion was not something she spent time on. Anaiya entered the complex her safe house was located in, and stepped into the elevator by the door. _Fourteenth floor, wasn't it?_ Yeah, that was it. It'd been a while since she'd been to this one. Number 315. The vixen sincerely hoped she remembered all the security precautions and traps she'd set up correctly, or she wouldn't be getting paid anytime soon, or ever.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Anaiya walked down the hall, scanning for her room. _309, 311, 313…There._ It looked like your average apartment door, equipped with a small pad for entering you code. The one on door 315 jutted out a bit farther than the others, due to Anaiya's modifications. The landlord would be none too happy if he found out, if he ever bothered to come inspect the rooms. Which he never did. The vixen punched in the six-digit key that would open a normal lock. The pad flashed green, and there was a quiet click as the door unlocked. Not really, though. Quickly, before the green light faded, she typed in another stream of numbers, this one fifteen digits long. There was a hiss and another click. Anaiya smiled, then opened the door. It must have worked, because she wasn't dead or on the floor bleeding. The T-25 energy shotgun aimed at head level next to the door hung motionlessly from its peg. If the second set of numbers hadn't been entered, she would have met a very messy end from her own trap. She brushed by the weapon as she entered the room.

It was exactly how she had left it: very, very disorganized. Clothes and other loose odds and ends were strewn all over the floor. A stack of clips rested on the kitchen table next to a computer. Three throwing knives lay in the sink. She'd never bothered to get actual silverware. Two combat knives worked as well as a steak knife and a fork. On the small vanity by her bed lay the usual things a woman had there, not that she had occasion to ever use any of them: makeup, lipstick, a mirror, a pistol. Well, no occasion for most of them. Newspaper clippings were scattered on the bed, detailing everything from suicides to murders with no seeming connection. The vixen smiled to herself as she moved to the closet. Her usual attire would have made any normal woman faint from shock. No pretty little dresses or skirts here; Anaiya hadn't owned a dress in her life. She'd borrowed one, once, but that didn't count. Her closet was stocked with bodysuits like the one she had on in various colors, tactical vests, assault harnesses, holsters for assorted weapons and other military accoutrements. On the shelves above, she had guns. Any sane person touring this place would have run as quickly as possible when they saw this setup, if they hadn't already. There was a box for each type of weapon: pistols, shotguns, rifles, and submachine guns. She didn't have any of the enormous heavy machine guns here; they were too hard to get from one place to another unnoticed. Another box, containing various accessories, was placed beside those. If this mind-blowing array of firepower wasn't sufficient, there were always the weapons she had concealed in various locations around the room. If the vixen remembered correctly, the hairdryer out here was a dart shooter.

Anaiya checked her HUD. Plenty of time for a shower before she had to get going. She unhooked all of her gear, laying it carefully on the bed, then stripped out of the bodysuit and headed for the bathroom.

Anaiya turned on the water and stepped into the shower, smiling as the warm liquid flowed over her body. This felt really good. She hummed quietly as she hunted for the dye remover on her rack of bottles. The vixen reached for one unlabeled container, then stopped. _No, that one's the grenade; _this_ one's the remover._ She shifted her hand over one and grabbed the bottle, squeezing out a handful of the liquid and working it into her black tail. As much as she hated dying her beautiful silver fur, it would have been stupid to leave it as it was when she went on missions. Anaiya couldn't remember any time she'd seen a fox with silver fur beside herself, so it would be kind of a giveaway.

There were two things Anaiya took immaculate care of: one was her firearms, the other was her fur. She took special care to clean and outfit her weapons perfectly before and after every mission, so they always functioned exactly as they were supposed to. Warranties were void if you tried to kill someone with the gun.

She had always loved the color of her fur. Back in the Academy, it had earned her many complements, which she had preened under. While she didn't really care anymore what anyone thought of her, the vixen still made sure every hair was perfectly clean and in place.

The blackened water ran down the drain, and Anaiya flicked her now shining silver tail, spraying the walls with water. _Much better._ The vixen washed away the sweat and grim from the day's work, then sighed regretfully. She had to get going; she'd be late if she stayed in here much longer. And that was something she did not want to happen. _No rest for the wicked, _she thought ruefully before shutting off the water. Anaiya dried herself quickly with a towel, shivering from the water saturating her fur.

A few minutes later, the vixen stood in front of her closet, hands on her hips as she pursed her lips thoughtfully. _What to wear…_ Hard decision. She didn't want to attract the attention she had before when wearing the bodysuit, but she did want to have the equipment and mobility it granted. Her options were limited by the fact that she didn't have much here that wouldn't grab at least some attention, and all of it fell into the second category.

In the end, she decided on the same boots, a tight, dark blue pair of pants, a short-sleeved T-shirt of matching color, and a black tactical vest over that. Not the most flattering color choices, maybe, but it worked for her. She stocked her backpack with a few grenades, extra ammunition, and the same pistol and holster she had worn before. She'd put all of that where it belonged after she reached her ship; stuff like that would be the equivalent of a glowing neon sign pointing at her saying "_Look at me!"_ On an impulse, the vixen took off the vest and shrugged into a shoulder holster, shoving a small but powerful blaster in. No point in taking chances. Putting the vest back on, Anaiya left it unzipped as she exited the room.

Once outside, she began walking toward the nearby spaceport, where her ship waited. No need to go back to the car she'd jacked, it wasn't that far of a walk, only a few blocks. It was nice to see the city again, not having it whip by at breakneck speeds as she raced some hotshot punk. She watched as a red bird punched the guy walking with her and stomp off, hurling Anaiya a glare, as if it were somehow her fault. The guy hurried to catch up with her, apologizing profusely. Anaiya grinned. He'd probably been caught staring. Ahead of her, she saw a trio of black-clad rats standing at a corner, hands in pockets. The vixen recognized the one in the middle and groaned inwardly. Not_ what I need right now…_ She continued walking until she was level with them, and they moved to block her path. Anaiya stopped then, and dropped a hand beneath her vest, fingers stroking the grip of her pistol. This could end poorly. Gunfights in the streets were very bad, for a number of reasons.

Her voice came out lightly, almost as if she were speaking to an old friend. "What do you want this time, Wrex?"

Wrex, the leader, stepped forward and gave her a nasty grin. "The boss isn't too happy with you, lady. You're in quite a bit of trouble for killing Axle. You didn't think you'd slide off clean from that, did you?"

"He had it coming," Anaiya replied, hand closing over the pistol as she prepared to draw it. "So what now? We shoot it out in the streets? We both know who would come out on top in shootout, rat. Don't test me."

The ones on either side of Wrex tensed, looking to their leader for a signal. Wrex's lips twitched in a snarl.

"You get away for now. But keep an eye out; I'll be watching you, and when you least expect it," he snapped his fingers. "Dead."

Anaiya snorted and brushed past him, purposefully knocking into his shoulder and sending him stumbling.

"We'll see," she murmured. The rat growled savagely, then spun and strode off, his guards flanking.

The vixen stared after him, frowning. That was a complication she did not need. Wrex and his whole syndicate would have to be taken care of sooner or later, preferably before they had a chance to screw with her. She'd deal with them after she got back. The police would thank her for that, not openly, of course, but they wouldn't look particularly hard for the culprit. Anaiya continued her walk, thinking of the gear she would need. _Definitely a belt or two of grenades, maybe one of those shoulder-fired rockets to break the ice, my pistols, Shaun should have my rifle back in by now; I'll pick that up…_ The list grew as she strode up the stairs to the spaceport, nodding to the hare in the booth, who returned the gesture.

There were rows upon rows of stationary star craft parked here, but she knew exactly where hers was supposed to be. Remembering little details like that could save your life under the right circumstances. _Third row, seventeenth slot._ The vixen approached the slot she remembered and smiled at her ship, the _Nemesis_. The sleek red and silver fighter was infamous among the mercenary community, its reputation enhanced by the well-known deadliness of its owner. No one was quite sure exactly who owned the ship, but whenever it landed, a trail of bodies usually followed. The vixen never gave away any information that could be used to track her down; even when meeting clients, she wore a bulky suit and full-face mask. Try as they might, desperate competitors had never deduced her identity, likely because they were searching for the wrong gender. And that was just the way she liked it. Anaiya smiled as she climbed nimbly onto the wing and leaped into the opening cockpit.

It felt good to be back in her own ship again; the Katinan fighter just hadn't felt right. With a few key clicks, and the entering of a password that prevented the ship from exploding, the vessel hummed to life. Holographic readouts scrolled across the cockpit as the vixen secured her harness. Wrapping her hands around the sticks, Anaiya eased the ship into the air as the cockpit closed. She ignited the thrusters, and the fighter rocketed away from the port. The vixen transmitted her flight ID to the port authorities, a fake ID, of course, then her eyes narrowed as she saw a _very_ familiar ship glide past her. _Was that the _Great Fox_? _Oh, Fox McCloud, hero of Lylat, could be _so_ oblivious at times. She knew from past experiences. Anaiya smiled, with a tinge of sadness. _See you around, old buddy._

The _Nemesis_ leapt forward into hyperspace.

Some time later, Anaiya began her last-minute preparations before dropping out of hyperspace at the station. The attaché case was secure, along with a small bonus: a tiny homing beacon. _Courtesy of yours truly_. Anaiya liked to think ahead; there was no telling if the device would be useful or not. She'd tried reading the papers inside, but all she'd gotten from the mind-numbing jumble of lab printouts, charts, and graphs was a headache. The vixen had no clue as to what the vial inside was; the container was opaque, and she had no desire whatsoever to open it and look. She slipped the vest back on, having removed it for the flight. The vixen rummaged inside the storage compartment on the left side of the cockpit, dragging out a black bag. Opening it, Anaiya withdrew her prized weapons: an identical pair of pistols she'd spent quite a large chunk of cash on. Besides acquiring the guns in the first place, there were numerous upgrades and modifications she'd installed.

On each of her hips, the vixen strapped a HX-250 "Armageddon" blaster. Coming in at second on her favorite weapons list, the fully-automatic pistol could hit a 20 millimeter square at 20 yards, with a steady hand, and put out a ridiculous number of rounds, somewhere close to 200 a minute. The damage it caused was nothing short of phenomenal, capable of shearing through the hull of a star fighter in only two shots. The devastation it wreaked on flesh did not even need to be discussed. The beast of a gun looked intimidating as well, what with all the accessories Anaiya had added. Laser sights, 10x scopes, extended batteries, detachable suppressors, and mini computers that could automatically repair minor damage made for a rather heavy weapon, and consistent dual-wielding could be tiring. But the intimidation factor granted by the sight of two of these pistols was nothing to be scoffed at. Internal modifications had been performed as well, though those were much more tricky to pull of with professional maintenance. Anaiya had upped the rate of fire to around 250 rounds a minute, and synced the miniature computer to her HUD. Whenever she drew the weapons, a sensor painted a small reticule in her vision, almost like a video game.

Of course, not exactly being an expert, Anaiya had messed up somewhere along the way. The drain on the batteries was enormous; the top-of-the-line power sources she used, more than triple the energy of the standard weapon batteries, was consumed after approximately two minutes of continuous fire. Normal pistols with default batteries could fire for considerably longer, but that was a drawback the vixen was willing to accept. The tradeoff was worth it.

Her console beeped; informing Anaiya she had two minutes before the ship dropped out of hyperspace. Two minutes to prepare the rest of her weapons. Plenty of time. There was the knife in each boot, the pistol in the shoulder holster, the flash grenade secured on the inside of her tactical vest, and the throwing knives attached to the underside of each forearm. Not much, compared to what she normally carried, but she wasn't wearing one of the bodysuits that contained her plethora of hidden weaponry. For a last resort, she opened a small case from within the same bag as her pistols and pulled out a miniscule blade. The vixen carefully placed the tiny mouth-dart inside her jaws, between the teeth on the left side of her head and her cheek. While by itself not able to do much damage, the blade was coated with an extremely potent toxin the fox had spent years building up immunity to. Everything was in place. Still, Anaiya could not suppress a nervous feeling, a twinge of fear twisting her stomach.

With a beep, her ship emerged into real space. Anaiya tightened her jaw. _Let's do this._

In the depths of the facility Anaiya was approaching, a figure stood, staring out at the tiny red and silver ship that appeared not moments before, his sinuous black tail twitching slowly. A rat marched up, licking its lips nervously.

"S-she's arrived, sir."

The black figure glanced at the rat, yellow eyes glittering malevolently.

"So I see. Contact the Black Vipers. Tell them to come here. Once the vixen leaves, they are to eliminate her. I'm afraid our friend is something of a liability now, much as I regret it. I feel the gang deserves a reward for all their hard work." There was a scornful snort, capitalizing the sarcasm. "I will not kill her myself; they can have their fun, as long as my orders are carried out. Dismissed, captain." The rat captain nodded and scurried off, glad to be out from under his masters terrifying gaze.

The dark figure turned back to the viewport, hands clenching into fists; there was a creak of metal. With the sample returned, everything would fall into place. The vixen's death would tie up the last loose end, the last real threat to his plans. The pitiful Cornerian military had no chance. The figure's lips curled back, razor-sharp teeth bared in a vicious smile.

The _Nemesis_ slowly entered the decrepit hangar, easing past what seemed to be, to the casual observer, a force field about to fail from neglect. Anaiya's sharp eyes could see the new wiring clearly; it stuck out from the old ones. Now that she was inside, her ship's sensors picked up the increased power levels that had been undetectable from in space. Very clever. No one would look at an old, beaten down station twice; it was the perfect hiding spot. The vixen filed that little piece of information away for later.

The ship lurched slightly as it landed, and Anaiya leaped out of the open cockpit, landing on the ground without showing a trace of the nervousness she felt. Her right hand caressed the grip of her pistol incessantly, while her left was locked around the handle of the attaché case. A rat approached her, sneering arrogantly. His mocking look slid away very quickly as his gaze dropped to the deadly looking weapons on her hips. Anaiya gestured.

"Lead on."

Without another look at her, the rat spun on his heel and walked off, the vixen trailing in his wake. They passed through a dark hallway, the single light flickering feebly. Anaiya wasn't stupid enough to think everything was so dark because they were too lazy to fix the lights; it was because they preferred the shadows.

After a few more gloomy corridors, the pair finally came to the end of their journey in the form of a metal door. A lizard stood on either side, rifles held easily at their sides. Their unblinking eyes followed the vixen as she strode forward. She didn't even look at them. They were guards, nothing more. Ignoring the rat behind her, Anaiya pulled the door open and stepped inside.

The room was large, and lit with a red glow. The crimson lights gave everything a weird, surreal tint. A computer console stood near the far end of the room, facing away from her. Those details were absorbed and ignored as Anaiya entered, her eyes darting everywhere. _Where is he…?_

Someone spoke from the deep shadows shrouding the back of the room, a purring hiss that sent a small shiver down Anaiya's spine.

"You've finally arrived. Give me the case."

Hating herself for it, the vixen obediently stepped forward, thrusting the silver case forward as she strained her eyes, trying to see.

There was movement from the darkness, then a figure advanced. It was a jet-black, powerfully built jaguar, his fiendish yellow eyes glinting with contained excitement. The metal gauntlets he always wore flexed as he took the case from her. His long tail swung back and forth, seemingly without his knowledge. The feline opened the case, studying the contents. The corner of his mouth quirked in a half smile, and he snapped the box shut again with a loud click. His eyes swung to the vixen.

"You have done well again, girl. Exactly as I ordered." He seemed about to say more, but Anaiya cut him off.

"Enough, Raaze. Give me my money and I'm out of-"

His expression never changing from that arrogant half smirk, Raaze casually backhanded her across the face. The force from the blow, coupled by the metal gauntlet, sent the vixen staggering and seeing stars. Anger burned inside her. _Steady; don't do anything you'll regret…_

"You presume too far, fox. You don't actually believe you have a choice in this, do you? The only reason I give you funds at all is so you can accomplish what I tell you, my hound. Or had you forgotten? Perhaps you need to spend some more time with Shran; I'm sure he's missed you…"

That opened the gates. Anger evaporated in an instant, to be replaced by burning fury. Before she knew what she was doing, Anaiya had spun and drawn one of her pistols, aiming it straight at Raaze's head. Her hand trembled with rage. Her heart beat a steady tattoo on the inside of her chest, despite the fact that it should have been racing now.

The jaguar did not seem the least bit perturbed by the gun barrel in his face. He smiled pityingly at the furious vixen and shook his head, clicking his tongue.

"Dear child, you can't have forgotten the futility of _that_, can you? I thought we made it clear what would happen if you pull that trigger." Raaze reached into a pocket and withdrew a small remote. A green light blinked slowly on it. " You remember _this_, I trust? Of course you do. But I think you need a reminder." His smile widened, a knowing grin worn by those who held the upper hand, and were aware of it. "You are mine, and you will do as I command. You know what will happen if I push this button. The same as would happen if you, in your foolishness, were to shoot me now. I don't think I've pushed you quite far enough for you to choose _that_ way out." Abruptly, his smiled vanished, and he turned away. "Go now, my _faithful_ hound." She could hear the smirk in his words. "The funds will be transferred to the usual account. I will contact you soon for your next assignment. And think carefully before you have another outburst such as that again. My tolerance will hold for only so long, and Shran has been lonely without your company."

Without a backward look, Anaiya walked as quickly as she could without running out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She ignored her rat escort, brushing past him on her way back to the hangar. The red haze over her mind was slowly lifting, and she slowed her breathing. Raaze was always unshakeable, no matter what happened. She, on the other hand, was always overcome with rage every time she saw him. Understandable, completely logical, but it was a disability. One needed a cold, calculating mind when dealing with him.

Anaiya leaped into her ship and slammed the ignition, punching in the same password as the ship lifted off. Her heart, her _damned_ heart, beat steadily on.

Captain Rogosh "Blacktail", leader of the Black Vipers, sat in his cockpit, stirring restlessly. The underlings he'd brought with him hovered nearby, their fighters still. They numbered twelve, in all, enough to finally take down that vixen. On the ground, no one could touch her, but space was the Viper's territory, and she'd learn that the hard way. Rogosh licked his lips wolfishly as he saw the red and silver ship rocket out of the run-down station and head off into space. The wolf activated his com.

"Here she comes, boys. I want her alive; the cat's techs should have disabled her hyperdrive, so there's no way for her to get away. Cripple that ship, and we'll take her back to base. Then we'll have some fun." He grinned wickedly as the fighter approached, oblivious to his presence. _Show me what you've got, love._

Anaiya's HUD whirred and slid into place over her eye, displaying that a transfer to one of her accounts had been made; a deposit in the amount promised by that damn cat. The vixen glared sullenly at the device. _Whatever._

It was done. After weeks of tracking that case across the galaxy, she'd finally caught up and nabbed it. It was over, and she didn't feel good at all. Once she got back to Corneria and sorted out a few things, it was off to one of those luxurious, five-star hotels on Zoness for her. The thought cheered her a bit, and she punched the hyperdrive.

Nothing happened. The vixen frowned. She'd definitely hit the button, so why hadn't she jumped? Tentatively, she prodded it again. A message scrolled across her readout:

HYPERDRIVE MALFUNCTION: UNSTABLE FUEL CONNECTION

_What the hell? _

Stuff like that didn't just happen; the ship was fine on the way over here.

Her com crackled.

"Having engine trouble, sweetheart?" Anaiya's heart dropped. She knew that voice, and it ranked pretty high on the list of voices she didn't want to hear right now.

"Rogosh. I suppose this is your handiwork?" The wolf chuckled.

"Yep. Whadda think?"

"I wondered why it was so sloppy, tell you the truth," the vixen replied, fingers flying over the controls. Everything else seemed to be working fine; weapons, thrusters, shields…

"Oh, good one. I'd expect nothing less from you, insults in the face of death."

"Death needs a makeover then, a mug as ugly as yours will double the workload." There was a snort of laughter; the com channel must be open to the rest of Rogosh's crew, who she had just located on the radar. Eleven others. The odds weren't good, but she'd come through worse before.

"Oh, come on now, I can't be that hideous. After all, you did go out with me, all those years ago."

"If you could call it going out," Anaiya said, trying to drag out the conversation. The longer she kept him talking, the longer she had to think of some way out of this. So far, she had nothing besides shoot them all down.

"Of course I'd call it going out; spending a few nights with a vixen as smokin' as you was one of the highlights of my life." He talked way too much, she remembered that. That was good for her, right now.

"Bad judgment on my part. We all have our moments." There was no way she'd get the hyperdrive back up from out here; it'd need to be worked on from outside the ship, not exactly a feasible option right now.

"You're right, everyone can make mistakes, but I wouldn't call that a mistake. Why don't you come back with the gang and me and we'll talk about some of your real mistakes? Who knows, maybe you can even get back in the gang. I'd love to have you back. It'd be just like old times."

_Not really the 'face of death' then, is it?_

"Not really, though. And, sorry to burst your bubble, but that's not going to happen."

Rogosh sighed.

"I didn't think you'd come. One of the things I admire about you: you're very stubborn."

"Got that right. So if you'd like to lend me a hyperdrive…?" He chuckled.

"Oh, no, you're still coming, just not willingly. Boys, you know what to do."

_And so it begins._

"Okay Rogosh," Anaiya said, tightening her grip on the sticks. "Let's play hardball."

"You know how I enjoy a good game, love."

The twelve ships roared to life and sped towards her, lasers blazing. Anaiya threw her ship into a tight turn, the fighter easily dodging every bolt of green energy. The vixen spun the _Nemesis_ around, facing back towards her attackers, and released a quick salvo before turning and accelerating, gaining some space as the fighters moved to avoid her shots. Three ships moved to tail her, while the remainder split into two groups and tried to box her in. With a tight smile, Anaiya flipped her ship over in a U-turn, strafing one of her pursuers as they tried to readjust to her sudden move. The green fire stitched a line directly across the cockpit, and the vessel exploded in an inferno of gases and shrapnel. Anaiya flew right through the cloud, debris pinging off her shields. The ship shuddered violently as the Vipers renewed their assault, laserfire making a fireworks display of her shields. Alarms blared and lights flashed. The protective barriers began dropping at an alarming rate; the combined firepower was overcoming them easily. The _Nemesis_ rolled, deflecting the incoming lasers. While she couldn't keep that up for long, it gave her shields precious seconds in which to recharge.

The shots continued to pour on her. Shields had dropped to almost 60. Growing slightly desperate, Anaiya performed a loop. Instead of leveling back out the way she came, the vixen continued straight downward, spraying lasers at the one idiot stupid enough to stay still and try to aim. Her fire tore through his shields and ripped off one of the wings, sending the craft tumbling end over end, until her unleashed another round, completing the destruction.

"Not bad at all, Ann," came Rogosh's voice through her speakers. "I forgot how good you-" His voice cut off in a garbled screech as one of the Viper's ships scrapped the underside of the _Nemesis_, taking a good chunk of the bottom armor, as well as damaging the com, apparently.

WARNING: COLLISION DETECTED. HULL INTERGRITY SECURE. COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM DAMAGED. SHIELD CAPACITY DOWN TO 40

That's great," Anaiya shouted at the computer, "thanks so much for the update!"

This was not good. As the pounding continued and the shields continued to drop, Anaiya wondered if she would get out of this one. It'd take one hell of a miracle.

-The report of my death was an exaggeration.

**Mark Twain**

Fox and Gage stood on the bridge of the _Great Fox_, watching as the shuttle bearing the rest of Dagger Team approached. There had been some kind of delay; a giggling Ley had said they'd explain once onboard.

"The shuttle has successfully docked," ROB said in his usual monotone. "Passengers have been let off. It is departing now."

"Thanks, ROB," Fox said, " Move us up and start the hyperspace jump."

"Affirmative," came the reply.

As the ship began moving, a red blur flashed past the viewport, far too close for comfort.

"Damn," Gage said, peering out after the ship, "cocky kid; probably just passed his flight test."

Fox nodded agreeably. "Probably. Let's get down to the hangar."

Down in the hangar, the two vulpines arrived to see the infamous Dagger Team, all but one laughing uproariously. Lieutenant Hart, Gage's second in command, stood in front, the raccoon grinning widely. Next to him stood Sergeant Ley, the leopardess that had contacted them earlier. She was describing something animatedly to the two privates, Beaudoin and Rhiain, as they chuckled. The fennec and the coyote, spotting their captain and Fox, waved brightly. The last member, Corporal Penick, an enormous, muscular bear, was the only one not laughing. His sour expression lifted slightly as the two vulpines approached. The five saluted the two vulpines, and Hart spoke up.

"Good to see you again, Fox. Captain." Gage nodded to him.

"Hart. So, care to explain what the holdup was now?"

Ley stepped forward.

"I think I'd do a better job of it than he would, sir. It was all Penick's fault, actually," she said with a grin as the bear protested loudly. "He was on his way to the port when he decided to flirt with a woman he met on the road. Penick being Penick, he tried to get her to race him." Fox raised an eyebrow, and Gage chuckled. "The way I understand, she didn't want to, but our buddy here said something to tick her off, and she accepted."

They waited. Fox frowned.

"And?"

"And," Ley continued, her grin splitting her face, " Ol' Penny _lost!_ Beat by a woman, of all people." The leopard leaned forward confidentially, but didn't lower her voice. "I think he's having a bit of an hard time. His ego didn't take that very well."

"I didn't _lose,_" Penick put in, "she cheated!"

"Okay," Gage cut in. "So you lost. How did that turn into us having to wait?"

"That's the good part," Ley said. "Since Penny's car is so tricked out, this woman really didn't have a chance. So she, uh, evened the odds a bit, so to speak."

'Meaning?"

"She put a knife through his exhaust port," the leopard said gleefully, "shut his car right down. Penny hasn't said as much, but I'm betting she had a good laugh about that!"

The bear grumbled.

"Pretty damn good shot, though. I don't think I could've done it, not at those speeds. I ran the plates on the car she was driving, and got a number. So I called. Guess what?"

Everyone looked at him.

"Turns out the owner of that car is on Katina now, visiting relatives, and has been for the past week."

Gage grinned at him.

"Well, you can figure that out when we get back; sure you'd love to find that girl. About making us wait, however…" The vulpine's grin turned into a smirk, "I think you've had enough of a punishment already. It shouldn't take us that long to get to the asteroid field, so don't any of you get too comfortable. And don't screw up McCloud's nice setup here, either. You all remember where everything is?"

They nodded. Gage looked at Fox, who stepped forward.

"Make yourselves at home."

With a chorus of thanks, the five took off, presumably to the target range. Ley offered a quick "Should be fun to work with you again, Fox," before she too vanished.

"Well," Gage said, "Now that that's all settled, I'm going to check out your armory. Call me a few minutes before we drop out."

'Will do. Have fun."

"You bet I will," the vulpine replied over his shoulder as he trotted off. Fox walked back to the bridge, lost in thought.

If there was some kind of operation going on at the coordinates they were approaching, chances were they'd have defenses. Fox could take care of any aerial obstacles in his Arwing, and then he could join Dagger on the inside of the facility. It shouldn't be too difficult; Dagger was the best there was. He suddenly wished the rest of his team were here. As obnoxious and irritating as Falco could be, Fox could always rely on him in a dogfight. If it came to ship-to-ship combat, he'd be alone. Gage and his team were not pilots; their area of expertise was on the ground. The prospect of engaging a fleet solo, however remote the chances of that were, was daunting. Though not something he'd never done before, Fox was too much of a realist to honestly believe he could pull off that trick too many more times before his luck ran out. If they couldn't make it in, if the defenses were too strong, they could always take Pepper up on his offer and call in the _Raven's Flight._ Speaking of which, he had to check in with the general soon, before the _Great Fox_ dropped out of hyperspace. There might not be time afterwards, and they didn't need the _Raven_ dropping in on top of them after the fight was finished.

Fox activated the com on his wrist. General Pepper's visage appeared, a tiny, floating replica of the hound dog.

"Fox!" The general said, eyes brightening. "Have you reached the station yet? Do you need Reines to head over?"

Fox raised his hands, trying to calm the general.

"Slow down, general. We're going to drop out of hyperspace soon, and we don't need Reines. I just wanted to update you. I'll call again after we finish there."

The dog seemed disappointed. His face sagged slightly.

"Oh. Very well, Fox. Good luck."

"Thanks, general. Fox out." The vulpine switched the channel off, and the hologram vanished. He frowned. Pepper was way too interested in this. Whatever was stolen was far more important than the general let on, and Fox meant to have a talk with him about it once he returned to Corneria, package or no.

Fox's com beeped, and he pressed the button again. ROB's monotonous voice came through.

"We will be exiting hyperspace in approximately five minutes."

"Thanks, ROB. Tell Gage to get up to the bridge."

"Affirmative."

The channel closed, and Fox jogged down the last few corridors and entered the bridge. It was the same as he'd left it, ROB still working busily. The robot's head swiveled as the vulpine entered.

"Captain Birse will arrive momentarily."

"Alright," Fox responded. One of the consoles had a countdown window. According to that, there were only two and a half minutes before the ship reverted to real space.

The same door he had entered through opened thirty seconds later to admit a disgruntled looking Gage, who threw Fox a disgusted look. Fox's eyebrows shot up.

"What's up?"

"Dagger's down in the hangar, ready to launch," the other vulpine said, glaring at him. "I'm annoyed, Fox. What the hell is with that armory of yours, if you can call it that? I don't believe it, you of all people should have _at least_ that tiny room filled up."

Fox grinned. So that was it.

"My wallet's been getting a bit tight lately. See, that's the good thing about being military; you might not get paid as much, but at least it's consistent."

Gage grunted, only slightly mollified.

"Right. As soon as I see what we'll be up against, I'm gonna head down and jump on the shuttle. You'll be in your Arwing, right?" Fox nodded an affirmative. "Good. At least we'll have some support. Can tin head over there fire the _Great Fox's_ guns?"

"If we need it, yeah," Fox said. Gage acknowledged him with a slight inclining of his head.

"We should be good, then. It can't be anything too big, or one of the patrols would've picked 'em up by now."

ROB interrupted them.

"Reversion to real space commencing in three, two one…"

The green glow associated with hyperspace vanished abruptly from the viewport, to be replaced by the black emptiness of normal space. Well, almost empty. Rather close by, flitting shapes and flashes of green light set off alarm bells in Fox's head. A dogfight, and, from the look of it, rather uneven. The nine black ships all chased a single red and silver vessel, a _very_ familiar ship…

Fox froze, eyes locked on the darting fighter.

_No way._

The vulpine hadn't realized he'd spoken aloud until Gage said

"No way, what?"

_It's not possible; they said it was destroyed, shot to bits…_ Gage waved a hand in front of him.

"What's up?"

_If they lied about the ship, maybe they lied about her, too._

It was a long shot, a really long shot, but Fox wasn't thinking particularly clearly at that moment.

"Talk to me, buddy. What's going on? What is it about that ship?"

Fox looked at Gage, suddenly remembering the other vulpine was there.

"That's her ship," he said, staring back out at the raging dogfight.

"Whose ship? Come on, man, let me in."

If it was her, then what was he doing sitting here, watching her get shot to pieces? Before he knew it, he was sprinting for the door, calling over his shoulder to the bewildered Gage.

"I've got to know! Wait here until I get back!"

Gage stared after him, completely lost. He turned back to the viewport and examined the ship closely. He frowned slightly and squinted, trying to see clearly.

"Isn't that an Arwing?"

Fox dashed through the halls of the _Great Fox,_ his mind racing. He didn't hear the questioning shouts of Dagger Team as he flashed past them and leaped into his Arwing, mashing the ignition. He twitched impatiently as the cockpit closed so excruciatingly slowly and slammed on the thrusters the second it connected. The Arwing rocketed out of the _Great Fox's_ hangar, the fighter blazing towards dogfight, which seemed to be coming to a conclusion. Debris from destroyed ships floated everywhere, a veritable minefield to an unshielded vessel. The red and silver craft was badly damaged, and the six remaining attackers moved closer. One of them spotted the approaching Arwing. A chorus of curses and yelps erupted over the open com channel, and an angry voice spoke.

"Damn it all, McCloud, you always pick exactly the wrong moment to show up." Five of the ships sped away. One, probably the leader's, stayed for a parting shot at the disabled ship.

"Lucky for you the galaxy's favorite fox showed up just now, love. Don't worry; we'll see each other again. I'll make sure of it."

The black ship spun and leapt to hyperspace just as Fox got in range. With them out of the way, the vulpine turned his full attention to the damaged prototype Arwing I.

It was in bad shape. Lasers had gouged large chunks out of the armor, and the bottom looked as if someone had ground it into a wall. One of the wings was missing a tip, and both were scored and dented. One of the thrusters was dead. Trying to contain his excitement, his overwhelming hope, Fox spoke into the open com channel.

"This is Fox McCloud. Do you read me?" No response. The com system must have been hit. "If you can hear me, I'm going to fly back to the _Great Fox._ Follow, if you can. If not, I'll tow you. Do you understand?" Still nothing. The vulpine turned his Arwing around slowly, facing back towards his mothership. He accelerated slowly, watching to see if the other ship followed. In his fascination with the crippled fighter, Fox failed to see the large dropship exit from the station's launch bay and quietly jump to hyperspace. To his great relief, it did, albeit slowly and jerkily, as if the controls weren't responding correctly. They continued at that pace until they drew into the docking bay of the _Great Fox. _Fox landed smoothly, the other craft somewhat less so, dropping with a clang to the hangar deck. Fox's heart was thudding in his throat as he climbed down from his Arwing and almost sprinted to the sparking ship. The vulpine licked his lips nervously as the cockpit hissed and rose.

_Could it be? Could it really be her?_

The barrel of a gun emerged, aimed directly at him. Fox took a step backward, confused, his hopes fading. He could hear Dagger coming up behind him, shouting, weapons raised. The owner of the gun stood up from within the cockpit, and Fox's jaw dropped. The very serious looking vixen that held the weapon looked at him, and her eyes widened. She blinked a few times, as if she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing. Fox felt a rush of fierce joy. She was _alive!_ He wanted to shout, to dance, to do _something._ After a second, the stunningly beautiful silver-furred woman he'd had dreams and nightmares about for as long as he could remember lowered the gun slightly, her mouth opening uncertainly.

"Fox?"

He nodded. Fox felt tears forming in his eyes, and he ran forward, arms outstretched. Without any more hesitation, Anaiya dropped her pistol and jumped into his arms, her own tears making her eyes shine. The two embraced, for the first time in nine years. Without a word, Gage gestured at his team, and they turned and walked quietly out of the hangar, leaving the reunited two to their moment.

Fox stroked the back of Anaiya's head, which was buried in his shoulder. Her arms were wrapped tightly around him, as his free one was around her. After nearly a minute, she pulled back enough to look up into his face. There was a bruise on her cheek, probably from the dogfight.

Fox couldn't get his words out.

"But-How? How'd you-I mean-"

"I suppose I have some explaining to do," she said quietly.

"Yeah, I've got a few questions," Fox murmured back, grinning. He barely even remembered the mission; all that mattered now was Anaiya. "I think that makes us even now, right?"

She snorted.

"Hardly. I'm still one up on you."

"Right. Let's go up to the rec room, it's more comfortable." She nodded, then frowned slightly.

"What're you doing here, though? It can't be coincidence that you showed up right then." That was when he remembered. Gage, Dagger, the station, it all came flooding back. His face reddened, and a wave of guilt swept through him. Their reunion would have to wait, as much as it pained him. They couldn't risk the thief escaping while they waited.

" General Pepper called me here to deal with a problem of his. I'm sorry, _really_ sorry, but I have to take care of that now. I promise we'll talk about everything later." He expected disappointment, in the least, but she seemed to brighten slightly.

"Oh, okay, I understand. Don't worry about me. I'd _love_ to fly cover for you again." Then she frowned slightly. 'But I don't think…"

She turned to look at her ship, and her eyes widened in horror, hands flying to clutch at her head. "My _ship_…" Her fists clenched; it looked like she was trying to tear the fur from her head. "That son of a bitch wrecked my ship!" In a fury, she stalked over to the downed vessel, glaring at it as she inspected the damage. "Thruster's out, com's dead, I'm gonna need a new inertial dampener, G-diffuser's shot to hell…" Her eyes closed as she tried to reign in her temper. "This is going to take _forever_ to fix!"

Fox grinned. This was how he remembered the fiery vixen. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Gage poke his head into the hangar and waved the other vulpine over. Gage warily approached, eyes on Anaiya as she gave her Arwing an angry kick. His hand hovered near the grip of his blaster. The rest of Dagger followed close behind.

"Gage," Fox said, "I'm extremely happy to have the opportunity to introduce you to Anaiya. Anaiya, this is Gage. He's here to help on Pepper's mission."

"Pleasure, I'm sure," Anaiya replied absent-mindedly, not looking up from where she had dropped to her knees and began tinkering with the exposed wiring of the shorn-off wing. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed and she swung about, facing the rest of the team, her anger forgotten. "Wait, _the_ Gage? Captain Gage Birse of Dagger Team?"

Gage's eyes widened in shock, and Dagger began muttering behind him.

"How do you know that?" he demanded.

"I'll take that as a yes," Anaiya said, studying him intently. "As for how I know…" A brief smile flickered across her face. "I have my sources."

Gage, evidently not satisfied with that answer, opened his mouth to retort, but Fox stepped in. Despite the many questions burning inside him, duty called.

"Anaiya, we really have to get going. I'm sorry, but ROB can guide you anywhere in the ship via the intercom. This shouldn't take long, then we'll talk."

The vixen nodded, switching her intense stare from Gage to Fox.

"They're coming, too?" She asked, gesturing off-handedly at Dagger, which earned her an angry mutter from the insulted team.

"Yeah."

"I'll hitch a ride on their ship." It was not a question. At this, Gage stirred.

"I don't think so," he said, giving her one of those looks that said don't-try-bossing-me-around-you-don't-know-who-you're-dealing-with.

Anaiya gave him a sweet smile, and Fox knew what was coming. He'd seen that look far too many times before. When she put that grin on her muzzle, Anaiya got what she wanted, one way or the other.

"Well then, Captain, it seems we have a problem. Let me spell it out for you. First, you need to get on that station, I've gathered that. You also have to do it quickly, judging by how Fox here blew me off for it." The look she sent the startled vulpine told him she was only joking. " I am an asset in that regard, due to the fact that I just departed that particular station." There was a surprised murmur, and Fox's eyebrows rose in shock. "I also just happen to have a map to this very important place. Another fun fact, I'm willing to bet I'm a better shot than any of you here. We can debate that after we get back. Sound good?" She smiled brightly and turned away, not waiting for an answer.

After a small motion from Gage, the remainder of Dagger trudged off to the shuttle, shooting dark looks at the rather smug vixen. Anaiya stood next to Fox, who whispered in her ear.

"You don't really have a map, do you?"

"Nope," she said, shaking her head, "I've never been there before, but I really wanted to go with you."

"Why's that?"

Her expression softened, and she traced his muzzle with a claw, like she used to do. "After all this time, I just don't want anything to happen to screw things up for us." Fox smiled at her. _She_ was worried about _him?_

"That's why I wanted you to stay here; there's no telling what could be on that station, and I don't want you to get hurt."

She laughed softly, then, after a small squeeze of his hand, went and picked up her fallen weapon, inspecting it carefully. "If there's one thing I've learned in all these years, Fox, it's how to defend myself. Don't worry about me." With that, she strode off to ascend the boarding ramp of Dagger's shuttle. Gage, who had been waiting rather-impatiently, spoke up.

"I don't like this. Who is she? Why is she here? And _why_ does she have to come with us?"

Fox looked at his old friend.

"You can trust her, if that's what you're asking. She was at the Academy with me, and she's saved my life more than once. She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize this mission. However she came across to you, she's professional, and it looks like she's only gotten more so since last I saw her."

Gage grunted, unconvinced.

"Well, fine, then. She can ride with us. We're wasting time. How long has it been since you saw her? Judging by how you reacted when you saw her, this was the last person you expected to find here, short of Andross."

Fox nodded slowly.

"It's a very long story, and I don't have time to tell it now. I'll explain what happened when we get back, and I'll get some answers from her." He started towards his Arwing. Gage called after him.

"But why were you so surprised?"

The vulpine climbed into his cockpit, then looked at his fellow captain.

"It's been nine years since I was told she'd been killed."

Fox turned away from Gage's shocked expression and started up his ship. So many questions he had to ask her…

Inside Dagger's shuttle, Anaiya sat against one wall, idly twirling a combat knife, ignoring the looks the other occupants were throwing at her. Her thoughts were a confused jumble. _What do I tell him? The truth?_ She immediately dismissed that thought. That would only lead to more trouble than she could handle now, and the vixen wanted nothing to interfere with them now. She had to come up with a really good reason for why she hadn't contacted him all this time. And why she'd faked her death. So many details… For some of the parts, she would tell him what really happened. For most, she'd have to invent something, and quickly. This little mission was the perfect opportunity, though she had a sinking suspicion what they were looking for, which made it all the more important to have a good lie ready. As guilty as she felt, playing on Fox's feelings to throw off suspicion, it was necessary. Birse, however, would be much harder to fool. But, now that Fox had finally found her, maybe he could find a way out of the mess she was in. But for that to happen, Anaiya would have to tell him everything, and she was not prepared to do that.

She'd seen Raaze's ship departing as Fox had escorted her to the _Great Fox_, so that was one less complication. If all they found was an empty station, it'd stymie them, at least for a while. But how had they managed to get here in the first place? If they'd tracked her here… _No,_ she told herself. They had no idea it was her they were searching for. She smiled slightly. Where better to hide from hornets than in a hornet's nest?

Birse entered the ship, giving a muttered instruction to the leopard in the pilot's chair, then took a seat opposite the vixen. Anaiya felt the ship rumble as it lifted off. He stared at her intently, along with everyone else in the dropship.

"Do you want a gun?" He asked. Anaiya's eyebrows rose. _That_ was not one of the questions she was expecting.

She patted the dual pistols strapped to her hips. "These are more than enough for me, thanks." His gaze turned skeptical.

"You'd take a pair of pistols over a rifle?"

"Ah, but these aren't exactly your run-of-the-mill pistols." She drew one and tossed it to him. "Take a look."

He caught the weapon deftly, and inspected it. His expression went from startled to approving as he checked the gun over.

"Not bad," he said grudgingly, lobbing the blaster back to her. Without missing a beat, the vixen tossed her knife higher, caught the pistol, holstered it, and snagged the knife out of the air again.

"So," Gage said, leaning back, "what's your deal?"

"Hm?"

"Well, Fox is the air support, my team's assault, where do you fit in?"

She thought about it for a moment.

"If I were on a squad in a typical engagement," she replied," I'd be sniper support."

"Really?" The vulpine questioned, smiling slightly, "That's a lot of responsibility. Sure you could handle it?"

Anaiya stared at him without expression.

"I wasn't being arrogant back in the hangar. I _know_ I can shoot better than any of you here. We can prove it back on the _Great Fox._ I don't brag if I can't back it up, you'll learn that quickly if you hang around me for long."

"If you say so," the red fox said, unconvinced. "What happens when you miss?"

"I don't miss," Anaiya grated coldly.

"We'll see. So what else can you do?"

Ah. This would be fun. The vixen smirked.

"I'd love to spar with you a bit later, Captain. I'm sure you'd find it…enlightening."

"That so?"

"Yeah."

"Well, let's discuss that when we finish this. My team knows what they're doing, so it's just you-"

Anaiya cut in, balancing the knife on the tip of her finger.

"I know what I'll be doing. You just stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours. I'm sure we'll work better that way. Trying to mesh two completely different styles together too quickly is always bad."

Gage looked slightly surprised.

"That's more or less what I was going to say. Maybe we're not so different after all."

Anaiya snorted.

"Keep telling yourself that."

Her HUD beeped and activated, extending the crimson lens into place over her eye. According to this, they were preparing to dock at the station. Fox's Arwing was hanging back slightly, waiting for them to enter first. She quickly scanned the members of Dagger and added them to her radar. Six new blips appeared, and she nodded, satisfied. Gage glanced at the device curiously.

"What's that?"

"My miniaturized heads-up display. It's got all the Intel you'd ever need to know on the field, and more. It's got a recorder, thermal scanner, x-ray setting, holographic emitter, and a bunch of other stuff I don't remember off the top of my head. It's even got a crosshair."

Gage whistled.

"Nice."

"Got that right. You wouldn't believe how much these things cost, though. I'll show you how it works sometime." She got up, cracking her neck. "You ready?"

Gage had time to put on a puzzled expression before the leopard called back to them.

"Prepare for disembarking!"

Anaiya drew one of her pistols and checked the charge again. Full, of course, but it never hurt to be careful.

The ramp began to open. Without bothering to see what the others were doing, the vixen took the right corner of the hatch, sweeping the hangar with her weapon. Empty. Not a single ship remained. Go figure. Probably meant no one left here, too, but assumptions like that could be fatal. She went to check from the other corner, but found Gage already there. She frowned at him, and he glared right back. She advanced down the ramp sideways, watching the right side of the hangar. As she went, she felt the other fox brush against her as he did exactly the same thing for the opposite side. Anaiya grimaced. If they didn't stop mirroring each other like this, it'd be really hard for her not to like him. Not that disliking him was very high on her priorities now, but it was the principle of the thing. He was military, after all.

The vixen clicked her com on and attuned it to the channel she'd picked up from the scan she'd done earlier.

"All clear," she whispered. She felt Gage jerk slightly behind her and suppressed a grin.

"How'd you get on this channel?" he demanded harshly.

"Not important," she replied, and listened with immense satisfaction as he cursed quietly.

Fox's Arwing landed smoothly beside them, and her favorite vulpine leaped down to meet them, drawing a small blaster. Anaiya looked askance at it.

"What is that?"

Fox glanced down at his weapon, then up at her in confusion.

"My gun?"

'That's not a gun," she hissed, drawing her other pistol and shoving it at him, grip first. "Here. _This_ is a gun."

He took the weapon and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah, much better than that," the vixen said, moving next to him.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Although I do expect that back later. If you like it, I'll get you one. Eventually. Those aren't exactly easy to come by."

"Okay."

"Let's move."

Anaiya gestured at Gage, indicating that she and Fox would go together. He nodded curtly, then motioned his team to the door in the east wall, the one she had not gone through on her trip here. The vixen guided Fox to the entry in the north, the one she was familiar with. She placed her hand on the knob and looked at him. He leveled her pistol at the door, and she pulled it open. Of course, no one was there.

The door had opened into the same hallway with a single light, and seemed no different than before. The pair advanced down the corridor, weapons at the ready. Anaiya shouldered past Fox, and he grimaced at her. Men were all the same in some aspects. They always assumed the woman was helpless. Though Fox had always been better about this than most, he was still overprotective of her when it came to situations like this. While the concern he felt for her was touching, especially after all this time, it was foolish. She was the one better able to deal with any threat they might encounter. The vixen shrugged at him and kept moving.

A thought occurred to her. She wasn't supposed to know what they were looking for. _That_ might have been very hard to explain if she'd gone exactly where they were aiming for. Without looking behind her, she whispered to Fox "What is it we're looking for, exactly?"

"It's a small case, silver, about the size of your backpack," he murmured back. "There were a bunch of papers inside, and some kind of vial."

_Well, shit._

Of course they were after that case, it was too much of a coincidence for them to show up in the same area, and Anaiya didn't believe in coincidence anyway. Though what was so damned important about that vial eluded her. She meant to find out, however.

She acknowledged him with a small nod, and they continued. They encountered no one, not a single person, or even a trace that anyone had been here. Anaiya's unease grew. She knew Raaze, far better than she would like, but she knew him. He never surrendered anything he considered his, not without a fight. This station had been his command center since his days as an officer in Andross's forces, and there was no way he'd give it up so easily unless he had something major to gain from it. This did not bode well.

She must have tensed, because Fox moved up to her shoulder.

"What's up?" he whispered, scanning the empty room again. Anaiya frowned, thinking. The cat wouldn't just leave, unless absolutely sure that this place was secure. Or unless he had no further use for it. _That_ line of thought scared her a bit, because she knew he'd have something very dramatic planned to ensure that nothing incriminating fell into enemy hands. In this case, Fox's hands. Raaze was meticulous in covering his trails.

"Something's wrong," she replied, eyes narrowed. "Keep close." He nodded, and his tail brushed hers, as if trying to reassure her. The vixen felt heat suffuse her face. _No time for that now._ They could pick up the flirting again later. She suddenly realized exactly where they were. The two vulpines stood in the hallway that led to Raaze's sanctuary, the one that had contained the lizard guards before.

Anaiya clicked her com on.

"Leader this is Anaiya. No hostiles sighted so far, approaching what seems to be the leader's room; stand by."

"Roger that, no hostiles on our end either," came Gage's reply.

Fox furrowed his brow slightly and looked at her. Of course, how could she tell it was the leader's room?

"Just a guess," she said to him. He shrugged, unconvinced. _Oh well._ He'd forget it soon, especially if they found something.

Fox opened the last door, Anaiya's barrel leading the way in. The room was almost the same as before, with a few major changes. First, there were two tables set up in the center of the room, tipped on their sides facing the door. The second thing was the two lizard guards that used to stand in the hallway. In unison, the reptiles roared and raised their rifles. Anaiya had time to swear loudly before they opened fire. Rounds ripped into the doorframe, and the vixen jerked back, shards of pulverized metal spraying past her. With the firepower of those weapons, they'd tear through her cover very soon. Fox was pinned against the opposite wall, trying and failing to close what remained of the door. _Need a plan now…_ Anaiya leaned as far into the wall as she could, her mind racing furiously. From the sound of it, both lizards were firing at once. Soon enough, they'd have to reload, at about the same time as well. If her cover held that long, she'd have an open shot. If it didn't, well, then she'd have other problems to worry about. Dimly, she was aware of Gage shouting something through her headpiece; she must've left the channel open. Ignoring him, the vixen watched somewhat disinterestedly as the doorframe was whittled down, inch-by-inch. _Should be anytime now. That model rifle can't hold too many rounds._

Sure enough, the volume of fire decreased, and she heard a disappointed grunt. The stopping of the other rifle immediately followed this, and a repeated clicking was heard as the stupid lizard continued trying to fire. _Now._

Anaiya stepped out from behind what was left of her cover, pistol raised. Her two assailants looked up in time to see a bright flash as the vixen fired. Two shots, and two corpses hit the ground seconds later, shot cleanly through the head. She swept the rest of the room carefully, with her HUD set to thermal scan. She remembered how hard it was to see people lurking in here. Satisfied that it was clear, she glanced back and told Fox as much, ejecting the clip from her pistol. Pocketing the barely-used magazine, she slapped a fresh one in with a loud _clack_. Two shots would more than likely never make a difference, but precautions had saved her life before. She suddenly became aware of Gage's voice shouting in her ear.

"What's going on over there? Talk to me, damnit-"

"I read you, Captain. We encountered two hostiles; they've been neutralized. We may have something here, stand by."

Fox glanced down at the dead reptiles and his eyebrows rose.

"Nice shooting."

"Thanks," she replied, ignoring the bodies as she searched the rest of the room. Nothing unusual, besides the corpses: tables, shelves, books, a computer, a gun-

She stopped abruptly, then slowly turned back around to face the blinking laptop. No _way_ he was that careless. There was always a reason, always a plan with Raaze. This was a trap.

Evidently, Fox did not share her opinion, for his eyes brightened when they settled on the computer, and he stepped over to it, reaching for it.

"Stop!" Anaiya shouted, lunging for him.

Too late. Fox's hand touched the keyboard, and a message scrolled across the screen.

_Greetings, Fox McCloud,_

_You don't know who I am, yet, but I know you quite well._ _I've taken the liberty of composing this small note for you, as I highly doubt those two lizards have stopped you. You may think you have won something here, but you are mistaken. I allowed you to land here, I allowed you to penetrate this far into one of my facilities. I enjoy a good game, more so than is perhaps safe for my operation, but no matter. No, the item you seek is not here. That would be too easy, would it not? Soon enough, you will understand what I intend to do with it. Perhaps you will be able to stop me, but I doubt it, especially if you are not alive to attempt it. You see, the second you activated this message, the emergency self-destruct of this station was initiated. It is a one-minute countdown. If you read exceptionally fast, or are very fleet of foot, you may escape the detonation. I wish you luck; it would be a disappointment if you perished this early into the game._

_Run quickly, little fox._

Fox looked up in chagrin at Anaiya, who wasted no time. She snatched up the computer in one hand and grabbed Fox in the other, dragging him towards the door.

"Let's go!" He needed no further prodding. As they ran, Anaiya called through her com to Gage.

"Get your team back onto the ship now, Gage! This place is gonna blow any second!"

"We're already back in the hangar, we headed towards you when we heard the gunfire. Hurry it up!"

"Don't wait on me," she said, releasing her grip on Fox and pulling the computer closer. It might have something important on it. "I'll hitch a ride in the Arwing. Get off this ship!"

"Got it. Don't get yourself blown up; you still owe me a sparring match."

Anaiya grinned to herself, then spoke to Fox as they sprinted down one of the last corridors.

"Dagger's taking off in the shuttle, so I'll be with you on the ride back."

He nodded at her, not wasting breath speaking.

The pair burst through the final door and back into the hangar, Dagger's shuttle exiting the hangar as they watched. With a queasy feeling, Anaiya wondered how much time was left before everything was blown to hell. They dashed toward Fox's Arwing, the vulpine opening the cockpit remotely while still halfway across the room. Fox leaped up first, the vixen right behind him. He dropped down into the seat, already pushing buttons.

While not meant to carry two, the Arwing could support a passenger if you didn't mind getting rather close to your riding buddy. Anaiya wouldn't have cared if she had had to sit with a frog, not if it meant staying alive, and she did not mind being close to Fox in the least. She stepped into the ship and sat in front of Fox, making herself as small as possible so he could still reach all the controls. The Arwing lifted off and sped out of the hangar not a moment too soon.

Within seconds of the fighter emerging, a tremor rocked the station. The entire thing rippled like water, then burst in a blazing conflagration of flames and metal as the Arwing soared away, heading back towards the _Great Fox._

Anaiya looked up to see the vulpine whose lap she was currently occupying grin at her.

"I hope every time we go out doesn't end in something blowing up."

Anaiya sighed, then yawned, her exhaustion finally catching up. Had it been two days since she'd gotten real sleep? Or three? God she was tired. The vixen leaned her head back against Fox's chest and snuggled up to him, truly happy for the first time in a very long time.

"Yeah, me too. What I need is a long nap, then you and I need to discuss a few things." She relaxed, but only slightly. She never fully relaxed. Not anymore. The vixen was vaguely aware of Fox speaking over the com, reassuring someone that they were fine. Gage, she thought drowsily.

She felt the Arwing change directions slightly. Fox maneuvered the ship with only one hand; the other was draped around her.

Content, Anaiya drifted off to sleep.

Wow, that was long. 14.8 thousand words. Not bad, if I do say so myself. Next chapter: more plot twists, if you can believe it. I'm just getting started. Also, how Fox and Anaiya met is revealed, and what happened between them. Action, too. Always a good thing, isn't it?

Reviews are a very nice thing: I'd like to hear that I'm not just talking to Foxkong and myself here. Until next time.


	4. Chapter Three: Consequences

Chapter Three, awesome. Some of the more observant among you might have noticed I changed the type of story to adventure/romance, to better reflect what was coming up. Care to take a guess who? Mind you, it definitely won't be the main focus of the story, more like a subplot. I just wanted to put that up here in case any of you are allergic to relationships between canon people and original characters. I have nothing else to say to you, so go read the story already. But in case you haven't figured it out yet, Anaiya is pronounced "An-eye-yah". Just thought I'd throw that out there.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya is mine. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. They come from some amazing stories you can find under Foxmerc's profile, "Shattered Past, Hero's Vengeance," "Blood Feud," "Vanguard," and "The Mercenary Wars." Check them out if you're looking for background information about Gage, or just need something great to read.

Chapter Three: Consequences

-Be careful that victories do not carry the seed of future defeats.

**Ralph W. Sockman**

Raaze leaned back in the large black chair, toying with a small remote. The device sailed lazily in the air before falling back onto the jaguar's palm. The Vipers had failed to eliminate Anaiya; not terribly surprising, but Captain Rogosh had been adamant in his belief they could take her down. The jaguar considered pressing the button on the remote he held, ending it right then and there with no mess, but he withheld his hand. Perhaps his order to remove her had been premature. McCloud had escaped the facility's detonation, as expected, and taken the computer Raaze had so thoughtfully left behind. The vixen could still be very useful; he knew of her past relationship with the mercenary and intended to exploit that ruthlessly. Sooner or later, McCloud would figure out his little game, especially if he managed to decipher what was concealed in that computer, but until then the jaguar would continue as planned. It would be such fun to see the captain's reaction once he realized the vixen wasn't on his side after all, willingly or not.

Raaze had insured that, even if he were somehow killed, the operation would not be halted. Raaze took everything into account; though he had absolutely no intention of dying, stranger things had happened over the course of galactic history. It didn't hurt to make sure.

The remote, and the threat it implied, would likely be enough to keep the rebellious Anaiya in line, but one could never tell with her. She would need another lesson in obedience, and Raaze knew just the person for the job.

"Shran," he hissed, turning his chair to face the motionless reptile standing beside him.

If not for the fact that his head turned when Raaze addressed him, it would have been impossible to distinguish Shran from a statue, albeit a very macabre and intimidating statue. The enormous lizard stood a full seven feet high, his frame rippling with bulging muscles. He wore what appeared to be a Venomian military suit, with the arms removed. The traditional black of the uniform was practically unseen, covered in rust-colored blotches from his 'playing'. The reptile's scales were a deep black spotted with russet orange, like dead leaves scattered on a road. His terrifying crimson eyes, never wavering, never blinking, were slitted like the rest of his kind's, but that was about it for similarities to anything with him. Raaze's right hand and chief torturer, the reptile was feared throughout the ranks, inspiring terror in even the most hardened of Raaze's soldiers. A legend, one of Andross's experiments from the Lylat Wars, the lizard was the perfect killer: cunning, implacable, and emotionless, except when it came to his main profession. The bestial pleasure Shran derived from torturing other creatures to the brink of madness, and sometimes over, went beyond the need for information. The reptile thrived on their terror, their pain, and it sickened even one as cold as Raaze. But he got results, and the jaguar had no intention of trying to change the way that happened.

Before he'd managed to catch a hold of Anaiya, Shran had been Raaze's prized hunter. Being replaced infuriated the lizard, and Raaze's two soldiers clashed continually, for more reasons than initially visible. Each tried to outdo the other, in everything they did. Anaiya had come out on top, most of the time, and it had sent the reptile into fits of uncontrollable rage. Of course, that was before Anaiya had disobeyed some of Raaze's commands, and he had set Shran on her to teach her a lesson. She'd never been quite the same after that first time, and it got worse each time. Or was the term better? The vixen grew colder, more detached and harder than ever. A better killer, in other words. The competitions had ceased after that. Shran had always enjoyed tormenting his former rival, and Raaze had to limit their sessions so there was no permanent damage to his newest hound.

There was no doubt in the jaguar's mind that, given half a chance, either would destroy the other in an instant. There was also no doubt that, if such an engagement were played out fairly, Shran would emerge the victor. No matter how good the vixen was, Shran was not a normal creature. The augmentations given to him by the late Emperor Andross made his already astonishing capabilities positively frightening. Raaze had once seen the lizard take half a magazine in the chest, then calmly reach over and tear out the offender's throat without any signs of pain.

"Our friend will be coming for a session sometime soon," the jaguar purred. "Make sure you prepare for her. And check on my researchers' progress. If they haven't met my deadlines, you can…_persuade_ them to work faster."

The lizard did not smile-his face never changed in the slightest-but Raaze saw a spark of anticipation in those terrible eyes.

"Also," Raaze continued, withdrawing a tiny beacon from his pocket. "She attempted to plant this on the package." A cold smile stole across the feline's features. "It is a homing beacon. She knows that's not allowed. Sooner or later, she'll come after it. Have some fun."

Shran bowed.

"As you command," he rasped. His voice was deep, unnaturally deep, and it only added to the overall atmosphere that would make any sane person run away as fast as they could. He turned and vanished almost instantaneously, despite the room being almost fully illuminated, somehow sinking into the shadows that fit him better than the light.

Raaze's chair creaked as he spun it back to face forward. Everything was going perfectly. A mirthless smile flitted across the jaguar's muzzle. Lylat was in for one hell of a time.

-

Fox brought his Arwing into the _Great Fox's_ docking bay, his right hand stroking the sleeping Anaiya's arm. Her muscles were tense, as though prepared for anything, even in sleep. The vixen must have been really beat, to fall asleep that quickly.

The Arwing settled to the ground with a tiny bounce, and Anaiya snapped awake instantly, her hand dropping to the grip of her weapon. Fox tightened his grip on her bicep, reassuring her with his touch. He marveled at the firmness of her arm; that kind of muscle was difficult to achieve.

"Hey. Sleep well?"

She blinked a few times, glancing up at him, then grinned.

"Yeah. Been awhile since I've woken up with you. Could get used to it again. How long we been in here?"

"Five minutes, maybe."

She grunted, stretching as much as the confining cockpit allowed.

"Oh. Well, pop the hatch and let's get out of here."

He complied, and the cockpit hissed and swung upward. Anaiya shifted on his lap and hopped out, landing lightly on the deck. Fox followed behind her, bringing with him the computer the vixen had appropriated.

Gage and the rest of Dagger were waiting outside the ship, bombarding the vulpine captain with demands for an explanation.

Anaiya raised her hands and backed away with a smirk at Fox.

"You were always good at explaining things. I'm…not so good. I think I'm going to go take a shower, if you don't mind terribly."

She saw his puzzled expression and his mouth beginning to open and spoke again. "Don't worry, we'll definitely talk after that. I wouldn't skip out on you. Besides, what would I drive? My ride's totaled." A sour look flitted across her face. "Gonna need to spend a lot of time fixing _that_. See you later." The vixen headed off; seeming to still remember where everything was on a ship she hadn't been on in a very long time. Fox frowned after her. Anaiya appeared to be eager to stay away from Dagger, and he could guess why. The vulpine made a mental note to explain that to her later.

Gage marched up to him, poking him in the chest hard.

"Okay McCloud, what's going on? _She_ radios me and says the place is going to _explode_! What did you do? And what's she doing here in the first place? _Who_ is she? You avoided me before, but this time, I want answers."

Fox grinned at his friend.

"Okay, let's get over to the rec and I'll explain everything. You guys can come too, if you want," he said to the rest of Dagger, who nodded emphatically. "ROB," the vulpine continued, speaking over the intercom, "set course for Corneria. I'm sure Pepper'll want to hear what's happened."

They arrived in the rec room a few minutes later, Fox stalling Gage's stream of questions with vague promises, wanting to get them all out of the way at once. He sat down at the table near one wall of the modest room, and the others followed suit. Gage leaned forward impatiently, eager to begin. Fox raised his eyebrows at his fellow vulpine.

"Okay, _now_ you can ask, since you waited so patiently."

Gage shrugged.

"What can I say? I'm interested. So, first things first. Who is she?"

"Her name," Fox replied, shifting slightly in his chair, "is Anaiya, and she was in the Academy with me way back when."

"Does she have a last name?" Dagger's captain prodded.

Fox shrugged.

"She always went by Anaiya Marcia, but she never used her last name much, and I got the feeling it wasn't her real one."

"Didn't you ever ask her?"

The vulpine's lips twitched slightly.

"Anaiya was the sort of girl who lived by the 'don't ask, don't tell' adage. I accepted what she told me, for the most part, and didn't ask _too_ many questions."

Gage snorted.

"Okay, so what's the big deal, then? What was it you said earlier, before you left?"

Fox glared at him.

"Let me finish and you'll find out. It's a long story, but I'll try to keep it brief. Feel free to ask questions, _intelligent_ questions," he added with a look at Gage. "So. She and I were very good friends since my first year, and I trusted, and still do, her with my life. She had saved it twice before I left the Academy, actually." There were a few mutters at that, and Gage said

"How'd that happen? And how close were you, exactly?"

Fox waved the first question away evasively. "You'll hear that later. As to how close we were…" He hesitated slightly. "We were dating since about half way into the first year, but we were getting serious. In our last year, I…" The vulpine cleared his throat slightly. "I asked Katt to help me pick out a ring barely a week before she left." Startled intakes of breath sounded around the table. Gage grimaced.

"Damn. But why'd she leave, if you two were so close?"

"She didn't exactly have a choice," Fox said wryly. He sighed and drummed his fingers on the tabletop. "This is going to sound really strange; no one believed me then, and I gave up trying to convince them after I heard about her, so bear with me for a bit. The head instructor at the Academy, you might have heard of him. Avery Bleak?"

Gage's brow furrowed for a moment, then he nodded slowly.

"Yeah. The higher-ups had him on trial for suspected treason a while back, but he was cleared. Then, if I remember right, he was murdered a year or so later, right before you went off and killed Andross." His eyes narrowed. "Hold on…"

Fox held up a hand, silencing Gage.

"You're close, but it's not what you think." His muzzle twisted in a scowl. "They got it wrong," he said grimly. "Bleak _was_ in league with Andross, since the very beginning. The day he died, he got new orders from his 'emperor.' Andross, having killed both my parents, knew I'd be after him soon enough. While he didn't really believe I'd be able to take him down, he wasn't one to leave things to chance. But, being the kind of person he was, he wanted to finish it himself. He ordered Bleak to bring me to Venom." Fox's eyes were hooded, and he clipped each word as though biting it. His audience waited with baited breath, as though watching a play. "He would've managed it, too, if it hadn't been for Anaiya." The vulpine's visage melted into a smile, and he stared off into nothing. "She had something to tell me, I never figured out what, and couldn't wait for me to get back, so she came to find me. It was late; her, a few others, and me had stayed after classes, practicing for our finals the next day. Someone told her where I was, and she arrived in time to see Bleak beating the crap out of me. Without even blinking, not even a thought for herself, she leapt in. I was just about useless; Bleak had hurt me pretty bad before she got there. He was way too good; it came down to him bending down to finish her off, and she stabbed him in the throat with a pen she'd palmed from his desk. Some one looked in and ran for one of the other officers. We panicked. Well, I panicked over what was going to happen to her, she was more worried about _me._" The vulpine's smile turned bitter. "I told her to run; after I convinced everyone Bleak was dirty, I'd find her, and it would all be alright. I had her take the original Arwing prototype my dad had left; we'd gone flying quite a bit, and she didn't have a ship of her own. She seemed to know, even then, that it wouldn't work out. She gave me this sad smile, told me she loved me, then took off." Fox turned away, clearing his throat and dashing a hand across his eyes. "Within minutes, people came flooding in, shouting. I can't remember much after that, but I kept trying to find General Pepper; he'd been a friend of my dad's, and I thought he liked me, too. I hoped he'd believe me about Bleak. Someone brought me to the hospital; I think it was Bill. In the lobby, we passed a monitor, and I saw the news report. I can remember _everything_ it said. The murderer of a high-ranking military officer had been caught fleeing Cornerian space boundaries. They had her picture and everything broadcasting already. A group of mercenaries, the black snakes, or something, already tipped off by someone inside, destroyed her ship. The footage wasn't very clear; all we could see was glimpses of a dogfight, then an explosion. Apparently, they hit her with a bomb; there was no wreckage." The vulpine's grin had faded entirely. "All my friends came by to visit me the same night. I remember Katt crying on my shoulder; she and Anaiya had been best friends. No one could believe she was really gone this time. She'd disappeared without telling anyone once before, worried us all sick, and almost been thrown out of the Academy for being AWOL. She managed to get another chance once she got back. Almost immediately after they issued the notice of Bleak's death, maybe a few days, Andross's assault began. I had my chance for revenge, for everything: my mom, my dad, Anaiya… I took it. And you know what happened then." Fox leaned back and sighed. "So now you know. Questions?"

Gage let out a long whistle.

"Man. I never knew it was like that. So that's why you were so quick to get out there. But," he frowned slightly, "Don't you find this a bit, I don't know, convenient? We're looking for a really skilled woman, and we arrive at where she's supposed to be, only to find your long-lost girlfriend, who just happens to be there, have been on the mysterious space station we came for, and know her way around a gun pretty well. Oh, and she has great taste in weaponry; those pistols are _nice._ But you can't tell me this isn't almost too good to be true."

Fox scowled at him.

"I'm not. I _am_ telling you, however, to give her a chance to explain herself. I'd be willing to bet she has a perfectly valid reason to be here. And she was never on the station; she just said that so you'd let her come with you."

Gage looked slightly irritated at that.

"Yeah, I'd bet she has a _perfectly _sound reason to be here," he muttered. "Anyway, if she's been alive this entire time, why'd she never come find you?"

"That's what I've been wondering."

"Wonder no more, then," came a voice from the door, and seven pairs of eyes swung towards the source. Anaiya strolled in calmly, as though one of the most dangerous military teams existing was not staring suspiciously at her, hands on pistol grips, waiting for her to twitch the wrong way. The vixen took a seat beside Fox and gave him a small smile. He noticed she wasn't wet in the least.

"Quick shower?" he asked wryly.

"Nah," the vixen replied, settling more comfortably into her chair. "I decided I shouldn't make you wait any longer to hear my story."

"You mean you couldn't find it."

"Exactly," she said with an easy grin, "I got back to the hangar, and our friendly neighborhood robot led me here over the com. So," she sighed, "guess I'd better get started, hadn't I?"

There was a muffled choking sound from the far end of the table, and the two vulpines turned to see Penick, coughing and spluttering over his drink, staring at Anaiya.

"It was _you_!" He gasped accusingly. "I _knew_ I recognized you from somewhere!"

The vixen grimaced.

"Yeah, I was kinda hoping you didn't remember me," she responded, then her grin returned. "But I guess such a blow to your ego isn't so easily forgotten, is it?"

The bear's glare faded, to be replaced by a thoughtful pursing of his lips.

"You're good. Even with that cheap trick, which my insurance covered, by the way, you were still doing really well against me. 'Specially with that crap car you _stole._"

"I didn't steal it," Anaiya retorted, "I _borrowed_ it; I know the owners."

"Really?" Penick asked skeptically, "What're their names?"

The vixen waved a hand airily.

"Not important," she said dismissively, "I put it right back where I got it. They won't mind."

That was a blatant lie and everyone at the table knew it. Ley snorted, Gage smirked, and Fox, despite himself, felt his lips twitch in amusement.

"Well, I'll answer the questions you're obviously _dying_ to ask," Anaiya continued, gesturing at Gage, "then Fox and I'll catch up without all of you nosy people. Assuming my story works for you and you decide not to shoot me."

The tension at the table visibly decreased at the vixen's words and Gage's nod of agreement. Fox sat back, wanting to see how this played out.

"Okay then." Anaiya popped her neck and leaned back in her chair. "Fire away."

"Why were you in that sector?" The vulpine captain wasted no time.

"I finished a job on Fichina, and was on my way back to Corneria when I picked up a distress signal coming from inside the asteroid field. Obviously, I dropped out of hyperspace to check it out." The vixen stared around the table as she spoke, locking stares with each member of Dagger, almost challenging them to refute her. "It turned out to be an ambush; pirates waiting to prey on some sucker like me that fell for their trick. I got a few of them, but they would've had me if not for your timely arrival. What's next?"

"That sounded rehearsed," Gage shot at her.

"I practiced on my way up from the hangar," Anaiya said blandly, not missing a beat. There were scattered chuckles around the table.

"What was the job you did?" Dagger's leader persisted, evidently not satisfied.

"Confidential." The vixen raised a hand as Gage's eyebrows shot up. "I get paid to keep my mouth shut, and I'm not going to break a contract to make you feel better."

Gage started to argue, but Fox shook his head slightly. Anaiya could be incredibly stubborn about a lot of things, and any kind of work had always been one of them. Gage stared at his fellow captain for a second, eyes narrowed, then abruptly switched tact.

"So what is it you do, exactly?"

The vixen shrugged.

"Whatever comes my way; bounty hunting pays pretty well most of the time. Yes, in case you were wondering, that _was_ what I was doing on Fichina, but that's all I'm telling you. Next question."

"You're good at this," Gage noted.

"What can I say? I'm talented."

"And modest," Ley muttered. Anaiya grinned at her.

"Only sometimes."

"Anyway," Gage continued. "Fox told me about the shots you had on those lizards. Pretty impressive; where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

Anaiya thought for a minute.

"A bunch of places, I guess. I get around. You've got to know how to survive in my line of work." Her eyes grew unfocused, and her face hardened. "_Especially_ in my line of work."

Fox stared at her. What the hell did _that_ mean?

Gage, slightly off-balance, shifted uncomfortably.

"Uh, well, one last thing, then."

Anaiya's gaze refocused.

"What, done with twenty questions? We didn't even get half-way through." She blinked, surprised by her own scornful tone, and went on in a softer voice. "So? Did I pass?"

"I think you're fine, for now. But, and I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering this, how did you survive what Fox explained to us? Your ship was destroyed. Supposedly."

The vixen's eyes closed.

"Hm. That was a tricky thing to pull off, what with the cameras recording everything. The Viper captain, Rogosh, and I came to an agreement not ten seconds before it happened. He'd help me get away from the police, and I'd join his team. Or he could blow me out of the sky and collect the bounty on me anyway. It sounded like such a good deal, at that point." She smiled. "They dropped a vacant ship and remote piloted it to make it look occupied. I flew past it, and Rogosh launched a Nova bomb, vaporizing it. My ship, though damaged, had the shield capacity to survive the attack, and I used the momentary blindness of the recorders to rocket up into the Viper's mothership. On the cameras, it looked like both ships were destroyed in the detonation of the bomb. And that's how Anaiya 'died'." Her smile turned sour. "Not what you expected, is it? Are we done here?"

"Yeah," Gage said slowly, standing up. He motioned to his team, and the lot of them trooped out, casting expressionless glances at the pair of vulpines remaining. "Fox, we'll be in the gym for a while, if you need us."

Fox nodded without really hearing him. His thoughts were a confused whorl of happiness and no small bit of anger. Why had she done it? And then avoided him for _nine_ years, only talking to him because he saved her life?

Anaiya cleared her throat, visibly bracing herself for something.

"Go on, get it all out. Right now, so we don't have to deal with this later."

Fox frowned at her, confused.

"What?"

She waved her arms around.

"I don't know: shout, scream, rage, break stuff, whatever it is you need to do it get not-pissed off so we can have a nice calm conversation."

"I'm not mad," he said. It was only partly true.

"Liar," she responded, glaring. "There's no way you're not angry, after what I did. And you can't have forgiven me yet, 'cause I haven't even told you the most important reason: _why_. So go on, yell, or something."

"I'm not going to yell at you," Fox said firmly, with a slight tinge of indignation. She thought he had to _break_ things to get his anger out?

The vixen huffed, crossing her arms.

"Fine, then, be your same stubborn self. Now ask some questions."

"_I'm_ stubborn?" He chuckled. "Look who's talking. Okay then, I'll start with your question. Why? Why didn't you come back?"

The fire he'd seen not two seconds ago abruptly went out of her, and Anaiya sagged in her seat with a sigh.

"Well, you _did_ ask for it, and it's only fair," he heard her mutter under her breath. She straightened, and took a breath. "Okay. Why?" Her face scrunched up, evidently deep in thought. "At first, I didn't really have any choice. The Vipers watched me very closely for the first few months, making sure I was the real deal. After they decided I was one of them, they more or less let me go around how I chose. I could have left then, could have come back to you. But I didn't." She looked at him, biting her lip. "I was afraid, afraid about what everyone would do about Bleak, afraid of what would happen when, not _if,_ when, the Vipers came after me. Of course, the military never ended up doing anything about that case, as Bleak was dead and I was supposed to be. But, after I cut loose from the Vipers a few years later, I seriously considered coming back. I thought I could just change my name or something, and no one would ever know that I was the one who killed Bleak. But I looked at myself." The vixen shivered slightly, despite it being rather warm in the rec room. Her brow was furrowed. "I wasn't the same person I left as, Fox. I've done some really bad things. I, I just…" She sighed. "I didn't want you to see how I'd changed."

Fox reached out, taking her hand in his.

"I don't care, and wouldn't have then," he said gently. "All that would have mattered was you being there."

Anaiya shook her head, looking away.

"I knew that'd be what you'd say. I came so close to just turning my ship towards Corneria and finding you. But something happened then, and I knew I couldn't. It made me realize exactly who I had become. I'm _not_ a good person anymore, Fox. You're respected, you're famous… Pretty much the opposite of me. Someone like me would ruin your reputation, maybe your life, and cause far more problems than I'd solve. I didn't want to inflict that on you."

Fox's heart melted. She'd stayed away because she was trying to protect him. As much as it had hurt her, she'd done what she thought was best for him. The vulpine stood, pulling Anaiya up with him. He hugged her tightly, his vision slightly blurred.

"You can always come to me, no matter what," he said thickly. He grinned down at her. "And if you ever do anything like that again, I won't go so easy on you."

She returned his smile.

"Don't worry about that; I have no intention of dying anytime soon, real or otherwise. And if _you_ ever try to play the 'for your own protection' card with _me_, I'll break your arms. You remember how I take that kind of stuff, right?"

Fox snorted. He remembered quite clearly; it had been a week or so before the bruises had gone away last time.

"So," Anaiya coughed, shifting uncomfortably, "Do you, uh…want to…well, pick up where we left off before?"

Fox's heart soared. This was what he had been waiting for for nine years. To be with her again. If she stayed on the _Great Fox_ with him, like he hoped she would, he'd be able to protect her this time. They could start over.

"Very much so," he murmured, then moved his lips down to hers. She returned the kiss gladly, and they held that pose for a moment.

Anaiya cleared her throat, stepping somewhat reluctantly out of the embrace and blinking a few times.

"That felt…good. Almost like before." She tilted her head slightly, with a small smirk on her face. "You're better than last time we did that. Been practicing?"

"Not really."

"Oh. So I guess this means you forgive me?"

"Yeah, you could say that," Fox chuckled.

"Well, enough with the corny stuff already then."

"What happened to our 'calm conversation'? We're just getting started." Fox protested.

"We'll have to continue it later; I still have to beat up that Gage."

She strode out the door, Fox following bemusedly. He must have missed something.

"What does that mean, exactly?" He asked as he fell into stride beside her.

"We have a sparring match set," she replied, a small grin pulling at her muzzle. "He's in for a surprise." She glanced around suddenly and frowned. "So where is everyone?"

"Falco and Slippy went to pick up something on Macbeth, and Peppy went after them when Pepper called me in on this job. Wait 'til they see you again…"

She grinned. Fox's brow furrowed slightly. It looked a bit…forced, somehow.

"I bet Falco'll be _delighted._" She glanced sideways at him. "But that's it? Just the four of you here?"

"Five, counting ROB," Fox said, frowning. "Who'd you expect?"

She seemed to brighten.

"Oh, no one."

"So, before, when you said you were going to come find me," Fox hooked a left down the hall, angling towards the gym. "What happened to change your mind?"

A grimace flitted across her face, but it was gone so fast he wasn't sure he'd actually seen it. He got the impression she'd said more than she wanted to.

"I'd rather not talk about it yet, if you don't mind," Anaiya said, with what sounded like a forcibly cheerful voice.

"Okay," Fox responded slowly. "Some other time."

"Yeah, definitely. Later tonight, we can trade stories. I've got some good ones, and I'm sure you do too."

"Yeah. Do you have a place to stay?"

"A few. Why?"

"Do you want to stay here?" He asked carefully.

Her eyes fell on him, considering. He held his breath.

"Sure" came the reply, and Fox exhaled, relieved.

"Since I'll be here, do you want some help on this job of yours?"

"Yeah, if you want to. Um, Anaiya," he stopped outside the gym door, pulling her to a halt as well. "I don't think you should spar with Gage." He missed the hooded, dangerous look she shot towards him and continued. "He's got the best military training there is, and I doubt he'll hold back too much since you've already annoyed him quite a bit. I don't want you to get hurt." He frowned at her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Anaiya glared at him, her eyes narrowed.

"Guess I need to convince you, too" was all she said before turning on her heel and shoving open the gym door, her companion leaping forward to catch it before it slammed closed.

The gym of the _Great Fox_ was large, though not nearly the size of the firing range. Not painted, the monotonous matte gray of the metal walls and floor did nothing for the atmosphere. There were extensive weight sets, and all kinds of exercise equipment. A mid-sized ring was set apart from the rest of the equipment for sparring and wrestling.

The members of Dagger team were scattered across the room, alone or in pairs. All conversation ceased as the two vulpines entered. Anaiya pointed at Gage without halting, walking towards the sparring ring.

"You," she said briskly, "come on, we've a score to settle."

Dagger's captain stared bemusedly at her.

"I didn't think you'd actually _want_ to fight me."

"You don't know me half as well as you think," the vixen retorted, unbuckling her holstered pistols and setting them down carefully.

Everyone gathered around the ring, their previous activities forgotten.

"What's up?" Ley asked interestedly, watching.

"Your captain is going to lose to a girl in a fight," Anaiya replied without looking up. There were a few disbelieving snorts from the males in the room, and the vixen straightened up, glaring.

"You can't be serious-" Gage started.

"I can, and I am," she said, "Now get in here or forfeit."

Fox stepped forward.

"Anaiya, this really isn't-"

She crooked a finger at him.

"You get up here as well. You want to know what I've been doing these nine years? I'll show you." The vixen pulled off her boots.

"What's that for?" Gage inquired.

Anaiya smirked at him and clicked the heel of one boot. There was a quiet _shink_ noise as a small blade emerged from the toe of the boot.

"Don't want to hurt you any more than I'm already going to do," he said.

"Do you always boast this much, or is it just me?"

"It's not boasting if you can back it up," Anaiya replied, spitting something into her palm and placing it in a small case. "And I can."

"And what was that? Another hidden weapon?"

The vixen held up a tiny something. It looked like a metal pin.

"Mouth dart," she clarified before replacing it in its case. Gage arched an eyebrow.

"How many more of little hidden tricks do you have?"

"Quite a few, actually, but those were the only accident-prone ones."

She climbed into the ring and Gage followed only slightly reluctantly. The vixen glared at Fox.

"What're you waiting for? Come on."

The vulpine held his ground.

"One on one on one? The ring's not really big enough for that."

"It's two on one."

"That's not fair," He protested.

Anaiya sighed pityingly.

"You always did underestimate me. That's how I won our first simulator skirmish. I'd have thought you learned by now. And you're still mad at me for disappearing for nine years, remember? Take some of it out on me now."

"I said I wasn't mad," Fox said as he climbed into the ring as well.

"I know, and _I_ said you're a liar. Okay, so here's the deal," she addressed both of the vulpines. "It's going to be both of you against me, since you think so little of me. Obviously, this is non-lethal, but I enjoy being thorough with rules. Oh, and no scratching or biting, in case you were wondering."

"Oh damn," Gage said sarcastically. "I think I'll be able to manage without doing that. Fox is right though, this isn't fair at all. You're gonna get crushed."

"We'll see." Anaiya turned to face the grouped members of Dagger. "Have fun watching this; I bet it'll be a great show." She returned her gaze to her two new opponents.

It was hard for Fox to describe what happened next. Anaiya just…changed. Her face lost all emotion, and her eyes hardened to green ice cold enough to make a blizzard seem warm by comparison. Her stance relaxed and she waited easily, with no traces of anxiety, totally focused on her goal.

"Don't go easy on me, Fox. I won't on you. Ready?"

The vulpine was torn. He didn't want to fight Anaiya at all, but she was going to hit him either way, and she would be extremely pissed if he didn't try. Resigning himself, he decided not to hit her too hard. This wouldn't take long. Gage was very good at unarmed combat, and Fox was no novice himself.

"Go," Anaiya said. The second the word left her muzzle, she blurred into motion. She was _fast_. The vixen leapt forward with a flying kick toward Gage. Although obviously startled by how quick she was, Dagger's captain did not let it distract him.

As her foot came to him, Gage caught it inches from his chest, then grinned at her.

"Not fast enough."

The grin was promptly wiped from his face as Anaiya jumped from her balanced stance, pivoting to smack her free foot directly into Gage's jaw. The vulpine grunted, but did not release his hold on her ankle. The vixen landed opposite how she started, one foot still held by Gage. Pushing off her unfettered limb, she spun back into the air with another kick. This time, Gage's grip slipped as he stumbled back slightly, and Anaiya jerked her ankle free. Fox decided it was time to act. She was much better than he'd expected. The vulpine stepped forward.

Anaiya landed, dropping low to the ground with one leg stretched out to the side, which she swept toward Fox's ankles. It connected, and the vulpine's feet were knocked out from underneath him. He fell with a startled curse, his arms rising to fend off any more incoming attacks. They never came. As soon as Fox had started to drop, Anaiya had switched her attention back to Gage, who was undoubtedly the more dangerous of the pair. The vulpine circled her warily, not sure of what she could do anymore. Anaiya somehow bounced from prone up to her feet so fast it looked like she'd been pulled. Her face was focused, no teasing or joking now. She was playing to win, Fox realized.

She had a strange fighting style, and Fox couldn't see how it would be effective. One arm was held in the small of her back, as though taunting them by her only having to use one limb. Her right arm was extended off to the side, clenched in a fist except for her middle and index fingers, which were pointing rigidly outward. Well, she had done well enough so far, no doubt she had something else up her sleeve.

Gage snapped out a few probing jabs, which Anaiya countered easily. She didn't try absorbing the full impact of the punch by blocking; she instead merely redirected the attack with a light push from her two extended fingers, sending the blow wide. No matter how many fists came flying towards her, she never moved anything but her right arm.

Fox, back on his feet, charged in from behind, meaning to catch her unawares. Somehow, she felt him coming. She waited until he was right behind her, then reached back with lightning speed and latched her hands onto his shoulders. At the same time, she leapt, kicking off Gage's defensively crossed arms and launching herself in a back flip over Fox's head, shoving him forward to stumble into his teammate. Landing lightly, Anaiya turned slowly to face the recovering vulpines with that expressionless look.

"Flank her," Gage muttered to him. He circled right, while Fox went left. She waited for them to approach, unmoving. The vulpines struck simultaneously; Fox with a kick and Gage with an array of punches. Anaiya twisted away from Fox's boot and slapped down Gage's blows, spinning back along Fox's retracting leg. She dropped to the ground again to avoid another attack from Gage, then she thrust her arms beneath her and came up in a handstand. Her legs lashed out, feet hooking on behind both Fox's and Gage's necks. The vixen pushed off her hands, at the same time snapping her legs forward, trying to pull the two vulpines over. They resisted, and Fox discovered a second too late that was what she wanted.

With her legs not going anywhere, and her opponents not moving, her body had no choice but to be pulled upwards, towards them. Coupled with the push she'd done, it was enough to send her flying up in a somersault over their heads. As she passed, she brought her legs together, and the heads of the two vulpine captains cracked together with a loud smack. They stumbled apart, Fox shaking his head to clear the stars.

He spun to face Anaiya, but was too late. She flowed around behind him before he could react and placed her hands on his head; one on the end of his muzzle and the other at the back end of the top of his skull.

"Game over, Foxie," she whispered, and he knew he was beat. With a sharp twist, Anaiya could snap his neck like a twig. Not exactly fair in a sparring match, but he was content to watch her and Gage finish, and he had a sneaking suspicion he knew who was going to come out the winner.

She released her grip, and Fox stepped backward, climbing down out of the ring. She was amazing; her speed and skill were incredible, and the deadly precision with which she executed her moves made the vulpine glad he'd never have to fight her for real.

Fox watched as Anaiya and Gage closed with each other. Gage unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, all of which were deflected by the vixen's annoyingly simple stance. It was strange, how she seemed to be reluctant to move one moment, then cart wheeling all over the place the next. Gage waited patiently, jabbing and thrusting, looking for an opening.

Suddenly, Anaiya moved, her foot lashing out in a quick double kick. The first connected with the captain's chest, but he recovered quickly enough to snatch her ankle and shove it upward, trying to knock her over. He charged forward at the same time.

Fox expected Anaiya to at least stumble, or try to regain her balance in some way, but the vixen surprised him yet again. Maybe he should just stop trying to predict what she was going to do. Instead of falling, she went with the push, hurling herself into another controlled back flip, then followed up with a back handspring, distancing herself from the attacking vulpine. Gage growled slightly in frustration. The vixen circled him; not even trying to land anymore blows on him. Her impenetrable defenses never wavered as she calmly waited for Gage to wear himself out.

Not going for that, Gage stopped his attacks and stepped back, still watching her. Anaiya tilted her head slightly and followed him, probing with a quick punch.

Gage was ready for her this time. As her fist came towards him, the vulpine captain leaned back and caught her wrist, quickly twisting it. The move forced Anaiya to spin to prevent her arm from breaking. The vixen's back to him, Dagger's captain moved in, thrusting Anaiya's arm up between her shoulder blades. His other arm went around her neck.

Fox's eyebrows rose. He'd expected Anaiya to win that. Though she'd probably never admit it, she'd just lost. Fox couldn't see any way out of that.

"Whatcha gonna do now?" Gage whispered in her ear with a grin.

Something flickered in Anaiya's eyes.

"I'm going to cheat," she replied calmly.

Gage had a moment to put on a confused expression before Anaiya jerked in his grip, flicking her captured arm weirdly. There was a sickening _pop_, and her pinned shoulder suddenly began moving much more than it should have. It wobbled and rolled, and Fox realized incredulously the vixen had dislocated her shoulder.

Without wasting a second, Anaiya spun, her shoulder twisting bizarrely, since Gage hadn't released his grip. She wore a grimace as her left fist came around to connect solidly with the stunned Gage's cheek. He reeled, and Anaiya followed up with another flying kick, finally knocking him down.

She looked down at him.

"You give?"

The vulpine captain stared in something resembling awe at her nauseatingly twisted shoulder for a second before nodding. Anaiya reached down with her left hand and pulled him to his feet. Fox and the rest of Dagger cheered and clapped, and the two fighters took a sarcastic bow. Anaiya's obscene looking arm swung limply.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Gage asked incredulously.

"Like hell," the vixen answered. She gripped her shoulder, closed her eyes, and popped it back into place. A low growl escaped her clenched teeth.

"That can't be good for your arm," Dagger's captain said, still staring.

She shrugged.

"Probably not, but it doesn't hurt any more than it did the first time, so I still do it. It works, too, as you found out. And nice job, by the way."

"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself," he returned with a grin.

Fox approached them, and Anaiya smirked at him.

"That was fun, wasn't it?"

Fox stared at her for a second.

"Uh, yeah, fun. Do you always do that with your arm? And where'd you learn to move like that?"

"Not all the time, and I still can't get my left hip to do that. I've got both shoulders and the right one done, so I figured it'd be pretty much the same, right? I don't get it, it's kinda irritating."

She noticed his utter lack of amusement and shrugged helplessly.

"What can I say? It's certainly a helpful tool, totally unexpected as well. I try to take advantage. As for the acrobatics, same places as the shooting, for the most part. _You_ practice gymnastics and other crap every day and you can do flips like that, too. And I'm sorry for the cheap neck-breaker, but you made me mad, both of you. I'll teach you a few things like that later, if you want. So, learn your lessons?"

The two vulpine captains glanced at each other and nodded together, laughing.

"Next time, I'll be sure to make it more fair, like an actual fist fight kind of thing, not a brawl."

"'Next time'?" Gage echoed.

"Well, yeah," Anaiya said brightly, patting him on the back. "That was just round one. We'll have to do some shooting some other time."

"Uh huh."

Muted whispers caused Fox to swing around. Dagger team was bunched together, speaking quietly and passing some small objects back and forth. The vulpine strained to see, it looked like…

Credits?

His eyes widened.

"Were you guys _betting_ on that?" He demanded. They looked up slightly guiltily, like children caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"Yup," Ley said happily, "And I won big."

Anaiya snorted, then cleared her throat.

"Okay, everyone, I've got something to say." All attention switched to her. "I thought a bit about how I've been acting, and I wanted to say sorry for being such a bitch. I'd like to say it's not me, but that's who I am. To some degree." She shrugged. "That's it. Forgive me?"

"At least you admit it," Gage muttered. She looked at him expressionlessly, and he raised his arms defensively. 'I'm kidding!" He considered. "Mostly. Anyway, yeah, if it makes you feel better, I forgive you."

The vixen opened her mouth to respond, and ROB's voice blared over the speakers.

"Captain, we are approaching Corneria. General Pepper's hail requests to speak with Fox McCloud and Gage Birse."

"Okay ROB, we'll be right there," Fox replied. He turned to face Anaiya, but she beat him to it.

"I think I'll go try and get some work done on my ship, actually. Come see me once you talk to Pepper."

He nodded to her, and, after retrieving her boots and pistols, she strode out of the room, still rubbing her shoulder. She turned left, while Gage and Fox went right.

Once they were out of earshot, Fox asked

"So? What do you think of her?"

"I like her," Gage confessed. "She has a great sense of humor, she knows how to fight, fly, drive… Know if she cooks?"

Fox snorted in amusement.

"That's a definite no. So you like her. Do you trust her?"

"Not one bit," Gage said without missing a beat. One eyebrow arched at Fox's startled look. "Why are you surprised? I know next to nothing about her, except that she's supposed to be dead. Oh, incidentally, I'd be willing to bet my life on the fact that that story of hers is a load of crap."

"You're nice," Fox muttered as he turned a corner.

"Sorry buddy, but something's just not right about her. You see how she just kinda, I dunno, _turned off_ right before we started fighting? That's not really natural. And the way she moves?" He shook his head. "She must've done nothing but train everyday for all those years. There's no way she just does _whatever comes her way._ She's got a job doing something, and I have an idea of what it is."

"What?" The vulpine demanded.

Gage shook his head again.

"I'm not going to say, yet. Not until I'm sure. You're pissed enough already about how suspicious I am of her, I don't want you biting my head off." He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about this. I know how much she means to you, but there's a lot of holes and unanswered questions in her story, and I just can't trust her yet."

Fox grimaced.

"I suppose you're right, but I just can't see her doing anything terrible like you seem to think she has. I know her."

"You _knew_ her," Gage corrected. "People can change a lot in nine years."

"Okay, let it drop already," Fox said angrily. He accepted that Gage was suspicious of her, that was part of his job, but that was going a bit far.

The pair continued in silence until they reached the bridge, and the door hissed open. Fox stopped his companion.

"Look, do me a favor, will you?"

Gage motioned for him to continue.

"Don't tell Pepper about her, yet. There's still a bunch of stuff to smooth over. I'm not asking you to lie," he said hastily, seeing Gage's dubious look, "Just…don't bring it up."

"You got it."

Fox breathed a relieved sigh.

"Thanks."

They entered the bridge. General Pepper's larger-than-life portrait was pasted across the large viewscreen. His face brightened as he spotted them.

"Fox!" came his customary bark. "Did you get it?"

"No, general," Fox said heavily. "We got inside the station. It was empty but for two lizards, who we took down. Someone so thoughtfully left a computer behind, and a note telling us we had just triggered the station's self-destruct. I know, nice of him, wasn't it?" He said in response to Pepper's surprised look. "I got the computer, and we're gonna start decrypting it as soon as we land. Um, general," the vulpine coughed. "Don't you think it's time you told us what this is all about?"

Pepper seemed to consider for a moment, then nodded sharply.

"Very well. Tomorrow, the both of you come to my office and we'll talk. You'd better hurry up Fox, or you'll miss it."

The vulpine frowned.

"Miss what?"

The general laughed at him.

"The party, of course! Don't tell me you forgot what day it is?"

Fox thought for a moment, frowning, then rolled his eyes and tilted his head back.

"Yeah, I had forgotten. I suppose I have to show up for that?"

"What day is it?" Gage asked, confused.

"It's the ninth anniversary of the day I killed Andross," Fox said wearily. "They throw a party every year. It's kind of irritating."

Gage grinned at him

"I'd have thought you'd enjoy the attention."

"Shut up."

"I still remember what you said to Falco as you were leaving my office after I told you," Pepper added with a grin that split his face. "It was '_they totally decided to call it McCloud Day. I can't believe this shit.'_ Right?"

"Yeah, that was it."

"Well, someone came up with the idea to add a dance on in the middle of the party this year. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"You're a lot cheerier than you were last time we talked," Fox muttered sourly.

The general let out something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle.

"We decided to start early this year. I felt I had to clear my nerves. See you soon."

The picture vanished. Fox and Gage stared at each other, each wondering if he had heard what he'd thought he'd heard.

"Was he-" Fox started.

"-Drunk?" Gage finished.

They both nodded. Fox frowned. It wasn't like Pepper at all to drink ever, particularly not when something important like this was going down. Maybe this whole affair was eating at him more than the vulpine had thought.

"And they threw dancing in this year," Fox said with a groan. "Great. Every woman there is going to try and get me, and then hate me forever if I manage to not dance with her."

"I've got an idea," Gage said suddenly. Fox looked at him. "You could take someone with you. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to, and she'd definitely keep the other girls back."

"You mean…"

-

Anaiya glared at the blackened mess of fried wires and melted plates that was the underside of the _Nemesis_. Lying flat on her back, she was attempting to repair some of the damage Rogosh and his cronies had done. Her initial observation had been correct; no way she was getting the inertial dampener fixed. Just another thing to be replaced. Ripping out the ruined component, the vixen carelessly discarded it and slid over to examine the crippled thruster. _This_ was doable; it would just take a bit of effort. A few wires to be switched out, and then she could get to work. Her mind drifted.

The vixen was still kicking herself for losing control of herself with Fox. Whatever had possessed her to ask such a _stupid_ question? Of course she _wanted_ to get back with him, she just couldn't. Anaiya knew that she wouldn't be able to keep up her façade and still do her job while living around him. He was just too…innocent. Too naïve and trusting. She was surprised how easy it had been to lie to him. She'd expected to feel quite a bit more guilt after doing that, but it wasn't there. And that just made her feel worse. He didn't deserve to be treated like that. He deserved someone who could actually tell him the truth about her life and not stab him in the back, directly or not. Gage, however, she had no regrets about. Although judging by what she had heard via the tiny listening device she'd planted when clapping him on the back, he hadn't bought it. Unusual. She was by no means a newcomer to the art of lying, but he saw through most of them. That might present a few problems, but he'd warm up to her eventually if she played her cards right. What was that crap about her _turning off_? She had no idea what he was talking about. And he thought he knew what she did for a living, did he? The vixen snorted, selecting a slender pair of pliers from her small toolbox. She'd switched the bug off after their conversation with Pepper, wanting to actually get some work done.

After replacing the damaged parts, Anaiya began the tiresome process of rewiring the thruster, after safely capping the port. It would certainly put a damper on her life if it ignited accidentally. The vixen grunted and extended her arm to tweak an interface panel. A twinge of pain shot up her limb, and she grimaced, almost dropping her tool. This was happening more and more often. When these twitches had started, she'd been able to go for a week before having to treat them again. It was down to only a few days. Now that she thought about it, all the little and some of the not-so-little aches and pains that afflicted her body were returning. Anaiya growled and slid out from beneath the ship, dropping the pliers.

She knew she was being stupid and should see a doctor, but she was too cautious to allow that. All it would take was one scan, and she was screwed. Sooner or later, she knew she was going to crash. Not having visited a medical professional in over seven years, there was the very real possibility of some of these being serious. Everything hurt now: just about every joint, that knife hole she'd sewn up herself…too many other things.

_Stop feeling sorry for yourself,_ she thought scornfully. Next thing she knew, she'd be breaking down and crying on Fox's shoulder. She mentally scoffed as she limped over to her bag.

_While I'm on the subject of self-degradation, nice job with the whole reunion. I manage to stay away from everyone for nine years, then run into half of them in one night. That's got to be some kind of record. Before I know it, Fox is going to have the whole gang here, and won't _that _be a bitch of a problem to solve. Fox himself is going to be hard enough, and once Slippy, Falco and Peppy show up? What then? What about Bill and Katt? How am I supposed to deal with that? I've got to get out of this._

She firmly buried that line of thought. She was _not_ going to run out on Fox, not after what she'd said. She'd broken his heart once, and she wouldn't do it again, not even if it meant blowing her cover.

_Oh, really? You sure about that? We'll have to see if you keep _that_ promise._

And now she was having conversations with herself. Perfect.

Withdrawing the small black case she always kept nearby, the vixen tried to punch in the code to open it. She only got as far as trying because her finger twitched on the last number and missed. She glared at the rebellious digit and then pressed the buttons again, slower. She got it that time, and the lock opened with a click.

Nestled securely inside was an array of syringes and various bottles of pills of differing colors. Anaiya fumbled for one of the syringes. The stims were the only thing that kept her going, sometimes. The vixen growled. The pain was building. Nothing she couldn't handle, but she moved quicker anyway. Placing the needle in her arm, she depressed the injector, and the stimulant was fired into her bloodstream. She blinked as she felt it take effect. Now she was ready for a few more sleepless days. Anaiya grimaced and popped a few of the red pills. More than likely, it was not safe to take so many at once. Oh well.

"What's that?"

Cursing herself for her carelessness, the vixen prudently replaced the bottle and closed the case before turning around to face Fox and Gage. The pair of vulpines had deliberately snuck up on her, she was sure of it. Or she was just cranky. Both lines of thought irritated her.

"Painkillers," she said smoothly, "I've a bitch of a headache after that little fight." Not exactly a lie, she did have a headache, but they were definitely not your average over-the-counter meds.

Fox nodded, convinced, but Gage tilted his head slightly, staring at her. She ignored him, setting the case down on the deck.

"Well, there's a big party going on tonight, and I was wondering-"

She snapped her fingers, pretending to remember something.

"That's right, it's _McCloud_ _Day_, isn't it?" She grinned at him, enjoying his discomfort. The pills had kicked in already. She felt much better. "Yeah, they throw a big fuss every year, don't they?"

"Yes," the vulpine said sourly, "And I just _have_ to make an appearance for every one. And this year-"

"Isn't that just too bad?" Anaiya gushed, surreptitiously shoving the black case back into its bag with her foot. "You'd think, after saving the galaxy, they'd let you just ignore them, if you wanted."

"Um, right," Fox continued distractedly, "But they're having a sort of ball this time, and I wanted to know-"

"A ball?" Anaiya interrupted again, sliding over inconspicuously and dropping the used stimulant into her backpack from where it was concealed behind her. "Hm. You used to dance pretty well, if I remember right." _Okay, drop the idiot act now._

"Right!" Fox shouted, seizing onto that tidbit. "That's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about." His words spilled in a flood. Evidently, he didn't want to be interrupted again. "So, I can't just skip out on them, I have to stay for just about the whole thing."

_Okay, I got that part already. Where do I come in?_

"I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

Anaiya, reaching down to retrieve her pliers, froze. _That _was not what she was expecting to hear. Though she probably should have. Well, there was absolutely no way she could say no and avoid rousing suspicion. Besides, it might be fun. Probably not, though.

"I'd love to," she replied, and guilt flooded her at the happy grin that spread across his face. Life sucked a lot of the time.

"I really don't have anything to wear, though," the vixen said, plucking disparagingly at her combat vest. "This is about the nicest thing in my wardrobe."

"What happened to that dress you had back in the Academy?"

She frowned at him.

"What dress?"

"The red one, with the sparkles."

_The hell is he talking about?_ It clicked. She grinned as the memory flooded back.

"Ah, that one. That was Katt's. I borrowed it. I've never owned a dress in my life, Foxie."

"You call him that, too?" Gage asked. "Didn't know it was around back then."

"Oh, come on," Anaiya laughed. "You don't think _Falco_ came up with that name, do you? He stole it from me. Used it to annoy yours truly, and it stuck after a while." She stared at Fox. While she was talking, a slow grin spread across his face.

"What?" She demanded.

"Well, I'm sure we'll find something," he said casually. Too casually. _What's he up to now?_ "I've got some stuff to do before we land; paperwork, a few calls…" I'll catch you guys later."

"Fine."

"Got it."

Fox strode off, leaving Gage and Anaiya alone. They stared silently at one another. A smile pulled at the corner of Anaiya's muzzle.

_Think you can win, captain?_

After almost thirty seconds of motionless glaring, Gage blinked with a grimace. The vixen grinned at him.

"Not bad. Come on," she pointed at her HUD, "I'll show you how this works now, and we can shoot a bit. If Foxie has anything good down in the armory, that is."

Gage scoffed.

"He doesn't. I brought a few things with me, however. I think you'll like them."

Anaiya arched her eyebrows and picked up her backpack, the black box secure inside.

"Oh, really? Let's go look, then."

--

Not bad. I like how this chapter turned out, all in all. I hope you all enjoyed it as well.

Incidentally, there's a kind of Easter egg hidden towards the end of this chapter. It's a quote from one of my favorite fanfics. If you can find it, and the story it comes from, major brownie points for you. PM me with both of those pieces of info, and you win this pseudo-contest. Yeah, there's a kinda-sorta-not-really prize. Some people wouldn't care for it, but I'd be willing to bet that anyone who actually _knows_ where the quote came from will enjoy it. I'll reveal the quote and story name next chapter. It's definitely worth reading, so stick around. Until next time.


	5. Chapter Four: Vengeance

I'm back with Chapter four. So, for that little pseudo-contest thing last time, the quote was "_They totally decided to call it McCloud day. I can't believe this shit._" That comes from _Hero_, by Obsidian Thirteen, and is most definitely worth checking out, along with the other stuff he's got going, if you're into any of that. It's a great story, read it when you've got some time. This chapter will be mostly Anaiya's POV, because Fox doesn't do much right now. Oh, and FK? You wanted to see more of the stone cold bitch? Check out the chapter name and quote. Wait until you get through this. Oh, and review replies are at the bottom.

Without further procrastination, here's the chapter.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya is mine. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. They come from some amazing stories you can find under Foxmerc's profile, "Shattered Past, Hero's Vengeance," "Blood Feud," "Vanguard," and "The Mercenary Wars." Check them out if you're looking for background information about Gage, or just need something great to read.

-

Chapter Four: Vengeance

-I know indeed what evil I intend to do, but stronger than all my afterthoughts is my fury, fury that brings upon mortals the greatest evils.

**Euripides**

"What the hell is this?"

Anaiya stood in the pitiful excuse for an armory on the _Great Fox,_ hands on her hips as she stared around scornfully. The place was _empty!_ There were barely a dozen weapons remaining, excluding whatever was contained in the large black bag Gage had brought onto the ship with him.

"Yeah, I know," Gage said, grinning slightly as he entered behind her, "I already talked to him about it."

Anaiya shook her head in slight disgust before turning to face him.

"I hope whatever you brought makes up for this."

"It doesn't, but it certainly helps."

The vixen grunted, unconvinced.

"Hm. We'll see." She motioned empathically to the bag. "Open it up already."

"Impatient?"

She looked at him, head tilted slightly, and he laughed. "Okay, okay."

Gage reached down to unzip it, then stopped and picked it up.

"Let's do it out by the range, so you can try some of it out, if you want," he replied to her narrow-eyed glare. Did he _want _her to thrash him again? The vixen relented, and they strode out to the adjacent firing range. Anaiya laughed softly.

"He has this enormous range, but nothing to shoot on it."

Gage grinned as he set the bag down and opened it.

"I'm sure the irony is not lost on him." The vulpine selected a large black shotgun and tossed it to Anaiya, who caught it deftly.

"T-25 combat shotgun," the vixen rattled off, glancing at the weapon. "Modified muzzle size and shortened barrel length. High end battery too, if I'm not mistaken. I have one just like it, though shotguns aren't really my style." She leaned it against the firing stand.

Gage huffed, irritated.

"So you wanna play that game, huh?" He said, crossing his arms.

Anaiya grinned at him.

_Very much so._

"Sure. What's next on the list?"

The vulpine captain rummaged around for a moment before withdrawing a long grayish rifle and passing it over.

Anaiya looked at it for a moment, considering.

"CMI KR38 assault rifle, standard issue for infantry units." She leaned closer. "LOtech model 657 sight, barrel extended…two inches, I think, and it looks like increased energy usage from the battery, meaning upped firepower." Cornerian Military Industries made an okay infantry rifle, but she wondered why Gage thought she'd have any trouble identifying it. It was a fairly distinctive model, and laser-optics sights were _so_ obvious. The vixen laced her fingers behind her head and looked over at Dagger's captain. "Close enough?"

"How can you tell there's increased energy usage just from looking at it?" He demanded.

Anaiya motioned him closer, pointing.

"See that little light, there, on the battery? It usually blinks green every so often when not being fired, just to show it's working right. It'll blink faster when being used, like it is now. That only happens, outside of the weapon being fired, when there is an unusual drain on the battery's charge."

Gage stared at her.

"How could you possibly notice something that small?" He demanded.

She winked at him.

"I have an eye for detail." The vixen hefted the rifle easily. "Mind if I try it out?"

Gage shrugged, still shaking his head.

"Be my guest."

Anaiya flicked the safety off and raised the weapon to her shoulder before aiming quickly and squeezing the trigger lightly. A short, controlled burst emerged from the barrel in a brief flash. The trio of rounds struck the shielded manikin squarely in the upper chest, followed swiftly by a shot to each knee and the head. The vixen lowered the rifle and smiled slightly. She'd done better, but it was far from her worst.

"Not bad."

"Were those last three shots just in case the first ones didn't kill him, or were you just feeling mean" came Gage's sarcastic comment as she set the weapon back on the firing counter.

Anaiya arched an eyebrow at him.

"Just making sure. That's a nice gun, I guess, but I'd rely more on my pistols than that."

"You keep talking about them, but I really didn't see anything that made them _that_ special," Gage said, frowning. The vixen drew one of her weapons and handed it to him.

"Go try it out, and then tell me you'd rather have that rifle."

The vulpine captain dubiously took the pistol and walked over to the firing stand. He snapped the weapon up and let loose a few shots. The lasers impacted the same spot on manikin's head, and the shield pulsed red, indicating danger of an overload. Gage lowered the gun and stared in surprise at it.

"Whoa. It barely kicks at all. How'd you manage to get the lasers that concentrated?"

"Much trial and error," the vixen replied. "Know what the best part is? Just point it in the general direction of your target and hold the trigger down."

His surprised gaze switched from the gun to her.

"It's full-auto?"

Anaiya snorted.

"Of course. What did you expect?"

"Not that. It _is_ a pistol, after all."

"Whatever. Just do it."

Gage extended his arm and held down the weapon's trigger. Immediately, a stream of crimson lasers blasted forth from the barrel of Anaiya's pistol, looking more like assault rifle fire than the pistol it was. The seemingly endless flood of rounds punched through the shield in seconds, shredding the manikin almost instantaneously. Most of the lasers struck it in the chest, tearing through the metal frame like tissue paper. Gage released the trigger after a full five seconds, and the red river ceased. Heat rose off the barrel in visible waves. The vulpine spun the weapon on his finger in a very show offish manner and grinned happily, like a kid with a new toy.

"I _like_ it."

Anaiya laughed.

"I thought you would. Now, imagine doing that with _two._ I've done that, a few times. Makes you feel like one of those idiots from the action movies, doesn't it? It is fun, though. One more toy for you to try out."

The vixen slipped her HUD off her head and handed it to Gage.

"You won't be able to do everything I can with it, 'cause it's a neural uplink, and that one's linked to me. You can still do some stuff, though."

The vulpine captain gingerly set the headgear in place, and the eyepiece slid over his eye. His eyebrows rose as data scrolled across the display.

"This could be _really _handy. How do I do, uh, anything with it?"

"Like I said, it's a neural thing, but I've also got a mini keyboard for complicated stuff. It can also interface with the data chip in any weapon, and give you every kind of info you want on it. How much charge is left in the battery, if it's damaged in any way…lots of stuff besides the weapons, too. Radar, which is _very_ good to have, scanners, sensors, the whole nine yards."

He nodded, satisfied.

"Where can I get some for me and my team? I think these'll help a lot."

Anaiya frowned, thinking.

"They're not mass-produced, for military or private use, so you have to special order them. They're not cheap, either."

"I think we can manage," he said firmly.

She nodded.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do. Who knows, I might even be able to get you a big discount, on the neural chips, too. I know some people. I'll get back to you on that."

"Thanks," Gage looked somewhat surprised at her charity. She suppressed a twinge of irritation.

He passed the device back, and she jammed it back on her head.

"So we done?"

The vulpine nodded, stashing his weapons back into the black bag.

"We should be landing soon. Best to get over to the docking bay."

Anaiya inclined her head, and the pair headed off towards the hangar.

The vixen was content to walk in silence, but Gage tried to strike up a conversation.

"So," he started casually, "Where'd you learn so much about guns?"

_Ugh. Does he never stop?_

"Here and there," she replied noncommittally.

"Uh huh. I've got a few more questions."

"Imagine that."

"How did you know who I am?"

"I already told you, I have my sources. I know some important people, and a lot of people owe me favors, even if they don't like me."

"Where did you learn to fight like that? I'm not bad myself, but I've never seen anyone move like that."

Anaiya smirked.

"Fighting and shooting is your _job._ That's my _life._ I'd be really upset if I wasn't better than you."

He stopped and faced her with a deadly serious look.

"How come you were having a street race against Penick when you told us you were on Fichina?"

_Wow. Perfect. Nice job with that one._

Thinking quickly, Anaiya smiled at him, wagging a finger.

"You are _persistent_, aren't you?"

"Answer me," he said quietly.

She sighed and let her hand drop.

"It's like this: smaller ships would go faster than big ships, right?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Yes, they would, especially if the smaller ship had a hyperdrive ten or so years newer than the one currently in use on the _Great Fox _here, like mine does. So, theoretically, could I have gotten from Corneria, to Fichina, and back to the asteroid field around the same time as you guys got there?"

Gage was silent for a moment.

"_Theoretically_," he said grudgingly, and Anaiya cut him off by walking away.

"I rest my case."

He caught up to her soon.

"I'm not going to apologize," he started gruffly.

"I'm not asking you to," Anaiya said sharply. "I'm not even asking you to trust me, because you obviously don't. What I am asking you to do is just think for a minute. Do you seriously believe I would do _anything_, anything at all, that would put Fox in danger?"

The vulpine mulled that over.

"You're right," Gage muttered, and Anaiya relaxed inside. "No, I don't think you would knowingly do anything like that." A smile tugged at the corner of his muzzle. "I did notice you only mentioned Fox, not me or my team."

"I didn't want to push your belief _too_ far," she teased. Everyone could be manipulated if you pulled the strings right. Gage was certainly a more difficult puppet than most the vixen had to deal with, but still doable. If she could keep from any more screw-ups like the little story mishap, she should be okay.

Fox and the others were waiting in the hangar when Anaiya and Gage arrived, chatting with the rest of Dagger.

"There you two are," he said as the pair approached, "I was about to call you."

"Saved you the trouble, then," the vixen answered, stretching her shoulder, "How long until we land?"

"Not too long now."

He slid his arm around Anaiya's shoulders, and she returned the gesture with a surge of unease. This was definitely not going as she planned. She was supposed to be reclining comfortably on Zoness with a nice fat wallet about now, not playing games with Fox. There was no doubt in her mind that she completely deserved whatever bad stuff came her way, but Fox didn't. This situation was getting more dangerous by the minute. There was a twinge of pain in her shoulder again, but she ignored it. The longer they stayed together, the greater the chance someone answering to Raaze would spot them, and then it would all go straight to hell.

The vixen began checking all of her hidden surprises, making sure each was in the correct spot. Besides the same ones she'd used when she entered Raaze's complex, Anaiya had added an innocuous-looking battery that was actually rigged as a makeshift EMP grenade and a retractable wrist blade. Just in case.

Anaiya suddenly noticed the wide-eyed stares she was getting from her fellow passengers.

"What?"

"I can understand _one_ knife," Fox said slowly, looking at her strangely, "But _five_? Isn't that a bit much?"

She shrugged, frowning slightly.

"Not really." What was it to him, anyway?

"What was it you said you did again?" Gage asked, only half jokingly.

Anaiya's sudden glare didn't faze him at all.

"We've been over this," the vixen answered tightly. Maybe she hadn't been quite as convincing as she'd hoped.

"Care to refresh our memories?" He pressed.

Anaiya tilted her hand backwards slightly, and the wrist blade extended with a menacing _shink_.

"No," she replied curtly.

The ever-annoying captain of Dagger team opened his mouth again, but Anaiya beat him to it, deftly changing the subject.

"So when is this party of yours, exactly?" She asked Fox, retracting the blade.

"We missed the beginning already," he replied.

"Oh. Well, I'm going to have to miss a bit more, then. I have to do something over at my place, and I still have to get changed. Into what, I haven't figured out yet."

"I'll come with you," he said comfortably.

She frowned.

"That's not really going to work."

"Why not?"

"Well," she said patiently, "Since we're coming down in the _Great Fox_, right next to where you're expected, people will be expecting you to go right into the party, which you said you're already late for. It would be kinda suspicious if you just took off, wouldn't it?"

"I suppose." He sighed and grimaced. "I hate these parties."

Anaiya patted his cheek.

"Cheer up, I won't be long."

"I'll go with you instead." Gage stepped forward, arms crossed.

She didn't bother hiding her annoyance this time.

"I don't think that's necessary."

"Why not?" The vulpine captain countered. "You can always use a few extra pairs of eyes. I'm sure my team would be glad to help you out."

"You lot are expected at this party thing as well," Anaiya retorted. "Pepper'll be wondering where you are, and if anyone sees all of us getting off this ship and only Fox going where he's supposed to be going, it'll raise as many eyebrows as if he'd come too."

"Why are you so keen to go off alone? Got something to hide?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?"

"Definitely not."

"Then yes," the vixen said, without a trace of a grin. She wasn't feeling particularly cheery at the moment.

"Okay, if the whole team's too conspicuous, just you and me will go," Gage said firmly, as if that would end the argument. It most certainly didn't.

"Why are you so keen to come with me? Something I should know about?" Anaiya snapped, turning around the vulpine's earlier accusation.

"Would you believe me if I said no?"

"You are starting to piss me off," the vixen grated, her eyes icy.

Gage grinned at her, apparently not understanding how close to bodily harm he was.

"What's the problem? Don't want me to know where you live?"

"Call me crazy, but yeah, that's one of the problems."

"I could find out anyway, you know," he said smugly.

"I doubt that," Anaiya growled. He was the most _infuriating_ person _ever_!

"Wanna bet on it on the way over?"

The vixen's fists clenched, and her right wrist tilted back slightly. The wrist blade extended ominously.

"This is getting childish," Fox said, stepping between them before the argument came to blows. Or stabs. "Neither of you will listen to the other, so how about you listen to me?"

The near-combatants' gazes switched from each other to the vulpine standing between them. Anaiya grinned slightly.

_Game over, Gage._ Fox would side with her, and Dagger's captain could whine and stomp his feet all he wanted; Anaiya would be gone before he knew it.

"Anaiya, I think you're right, the entire team is a bit obvious."

She relaxed, then stiffened as she heard the whole sentence. _The _entire_ team?_

"I think just Gage should go with you."

The vixen had to blink a few times, feeling no small amount of shock. Apparently he wasn't as blinded by love as she thought. Anaiya was torn between pride and annoyance.

"I may just be being paranoid," Fox said apologetically, "But I think it'd be safer."

She briefly considered telling him where he could shove his paranoia, but decided against it. She'd regret it later; she usually did when speaking in anger.

"Fine," she relented grudgingly. The wrist blade retracted. "I'll be back as soon as I can. And I'm going to borrow one of your cars, if that's fine."

"Okay," the vulpine said, giving her a quick kiss. "Don't leave me hanging alone with all the politicians." His smile vanished at the thought.

Gage peered around Fox at her. Her fist trembled with the desire to knock that smug look off his face.

"Do you want to drive?" He asked her innocently.

"There was never a question," she snarled at him before striding away.

The _Great Fox _had landed sometime during the argument, and Anaiya pulled open the door of the nearest vehicle and stepped in, slamming it behind her. There were only a few other cars in the hangar, next to the Arwings, two Landmasters, and her totaled wreck of a ship.

Gage slipped into the passenger side, wisely keeping his mouth shut. He merely stared at her with a stupid half-smile as the vixen maneuvered the vehicle out of the dreadnaught's hangar, leaving Fox and the rest of Dagger far behind.

The unwanted addition of Gage threw a wrench into her plans. Nothing unfixable, but it was still irritating.

Anaiya's hovercar wound its way leisurely down the street, the vixen at the wheel deep in thought. Going to any of her safe houses was out of the question; the last thing she needed was the vulpine captain tattling on her to his military buddies. It would have to be Shaun's shop, and then her place. As much as the vixen hated the idea of Gage knowing where she lived, it was the only feasible option.

"You still need something to wear," Gage said conversationally, not taking his eyes from the road.

"I know," Anaiya replied firmly, mentally cursing. She had completely forgotten about that. How had that happened? She usually was right on top of little details like that.

"There's a place right here," the vulpine captain continued calmly, pointing to a small shop up the street, growing rapidly closer.

With a growl of annoyance, Anaiya slammed on the brakes right outside the small store. Much to her disappointment, Gage had remembered to wear his seatbelt, and did not crack his skull on the windshield, as she'd hoped he would. _Well, you can't have everything._

She had stepped out the car and was walking towards the store before she realized exactly what it was.

The shop, filled with blindingly brightly lit displays of various dresses and outfits adorned with frills and lace, was exactly the kind of place she hated. It was just too…_girly_, for lack of a better word. Not that being feminine was a bad thing, far from it, but these just practically shouted "I'm-useless-and-helpless-and-I-can't-do-anything-myself." Definitely not her style. She hadn't had time to worry about how pretty her outfits were in a very long time. She was way out of touch with today's fashion. Well, nothing for it but to try. With a resigned sigh, the vixen cautiously inched the door open and stepped inside. Gage followed her, that annoyingly smug grin still in place.

Barely a second after the pair entered the shop, the clerk swooped out of nowhere, an oily grin fixed on his face. Even the forced smile faltered slightly as he looked at Anaiya. She probably wasn't exactly the kind of customer he was used to, judging by her current outfit.

_You don't like it? Well, isn't that a shame?_

"What will it be, ma'am?" The ratty-looking dog inquired, almost groveling. It was pathetic, really. "You have such _beautiful_ fur, I'm sure we can find _something_ to go with it. Let me just-"

The vixen cut him off. If she let him rant on, she'd be here all night. _Just pick something and get out._

"Let me see that one," she said, pointing at random to one of the outfits on display. It was a silky smooth light yellow evening gown, with a slit up the left side. The slit extended all the way up to the thigh.

"A very good choice, ma'am," the dog gushed fawningly as he shoved the dress towards her eagerly. Now that she looked at it, it wasn't really that bad at all.

Anaiya glanced up at him, and a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Does it come in red?"

Five minutes later, Anaiya and Gage exited the shop, the clerk waving cheerily. The vixen, in her new deep red dress, stumbled on her way around the car, cursing to herself. Damn Gage for pointing out the _shoes._ She didn't _really_ need the high heels, and the damned things were so annoying to walk in. In retrospect, however, the combat boots had looked rather ridiculous when coupled with the gown. She hoped she didn't look _too_ good; she'd be an idiot magnet that way, and the goal was to not attract an undue amount of attention. Despite the sleeveless gown, the fur on her revealed arms had grown back enough to hide the scars from anything but a touch, so that was one less thing to worry about. Although, if anyone touched her, they'd have bigger problems than wondering where all the scars had come from. It was going to be challenging to hide any kind of weapon in this getup; there were no pockets, and it wasn't exactly the loosest thing she'd ever worn…

"You look nice," Dagger's captain commented from the passenger seat. Anaiya's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Um. Thanks," she said slowly.

He glanced at her and snorted scornfully.

"Don't give me that look. It was a simple observation." Gage secured his seatbelt with a knowing grin. "Where to next?"

"Just a few toys to be picked up," Anaiya replied, pulling out of her parking spot and trundling off down the street.

"Oh? Like the kind of 'toys' I showed you?"

"Better," the vixen answered with a smirk, flashing an obscene gesture at the hovercar attempting to pass her. She accelerated in front of the vehicle and slowed, receiving an angry screech from the driver.

Gage looked at her in amusement. She shrugged at him, then activated her HUD and let go of the wheel to enter a small string of numbers into her keypad. Dagger's captain reached over and held the wheel steady, with a much less amused look than before. The A/V unit built into the small device on her head chimed as it connected. A deep, gruff voice burst through the earpiece.

"What _now_?"

Anaiya grinned slightly.

"Shaun, it's me."

"Anaiya! Long time no see! What's up?"

"The job on Fichina's all taken care of, and I've got to collect a few new pieces of gear. I'll be over soon."

"Hold on, wha-"

She spoke over him.

"Got it." The vixen cut the connection, and the unit switched itself off. With another person to back up her story, it might increase her credibility with the ever-suspicious Gage. Shaun would catch on before they arrived. _Hopefully._

The remainder of the drive was finished in silence, neither wanting to buckle and break the silence. Anaiya stopped outside a plain-looking building. The dusty glass of the windows gave a poor view to the shop inside. A crooked sign proclaimed the place to be "Terrell's Arms". _That was the name of the previous owner, wasn't it? Shaun must not have cared enough to replace it._ The vixen strode over to the door and pulled it open, almost tripping over her feet again.

The horribly loud music was the first thing she noticed. It _blasted_ her ears, and she flinched despite herself. Not a huge fan of the stuff herself, even she could tell this was at the low end of quality. It was more just random mashing of the electroguitar's strings and high pitched screeching than actual music. It grated on her already-frayed nerves. _He had _better_ have my rifle in; it gets longer every time, I swear…_

The room was packed with tables and stands, stacked with all kinds of weapons and gun-related accessories. Scopes, slings, cleaner kits, batteries, and all sorts of other goodies were piled in neat little rows. The array of armaments was impressive, even by Anaiya's standards. _This_ was her kind of shop. She felt much more at home here than at that _dress_ store.

There was a crash as the door to the back room burst open, revealing a hulking, powerfully built bull bouncing his head partially in time to the music. Shaun grinned as his eyes fell on the pair of vulpines.

"There you are," he said jovially, turning the scream-music down, "I was wondering what was taking you."

"You know me," Anaiya replied dryly, "I'm _never_ on time."

"Yeah. Right." His eyes fell on her dress, and he quirked an eyebrow. "Nnnice-"

Anaiya raised a hand sharply.

"Not a word," she said warningly. Shaun grinned again, but wisely held his tongue.

"So yeah," the vixen continued, walking forward slightly so her back was to Gage. "The deal on Fichina is all set; no need to worry about that anymore."

To her relief, the bull had apparently understood what she meant during the call, and took the lie in stride.

"Good. I'll have the money transferred to your account soon. Did you need something else, or was that all?"

Anaiya threw him a look.

"I want my gun back, Shaun. It _has_ to be back in by now. I could've done those upgrades myself in half the time."

The bull grimaced, his horns dipping slightly.

"Yeah, it's been here for a while; I've just had so much fun shooting it that I didn't want to give it back."

The vixen's eyes widened in outrage. _He did _what? _And he has the _nerve_ to grin at me while saying that?_

"Are you _kidding_ me? Do you know how precise that thing is? If you've screwed up my sights, so help me I'll-"

Shaun raised his bulging arms in surrender, mock-cowering before Anaiya's anger.

"Chill, girl. I _am_ only kidding."

Anaiya's shoulders slumped slightly, all the fire gone out. _Go figure. He played another joke._

"Ass," she growled at him.

He chuckled at her.

"It would be _so_ much fun to just pop a few shots off though…"

"Give me the damn gun already."

With a wistful little sigh, Shaun motioned her to follow him as he retreated through the same door he entered.

"Fine, fine. It's in the back still. Come on."

"Be right back," the vixen whispered to Gage, who nodded, frowning slightly. About what, she had no idea.

The back room was more or less the same as the front one, albeit significantly less organized. A lengthy workbench sat off to one side, a disassembled handgun strewn across it. Shaun pulled a long black case from a rack against the back wall, and handed it, somewhat reluctantly, to Anaiya, who set it down on a relatively empty table.

"I really wish you'd let me copy that sometime," he said peevishly.

"Not a chance," the vixen replied, not looking up. She unsnapped the locks on the container, and gently raised the lid. Inside, just as pristine as she'd left it, was her pride and joy, the rifle she had so lovingly dubbed "Vengeance."

The aptly named weapon had been her favored tool for all manner of missions over the years, some of which were solely for the purpose of exacting its namesake. Its kill count surpassed that of any other weapon she used by a landslide. Knives were second. The vixen had had the sniper custom crafted from the frame up; there was no other firearm like it in the galaxy. And that was how she liked to be. _Different. Apart._ The only blueprints of it in existence were locked securely in her HUD's memory banks.

Anaiya had spared no expense in forging the weapon, and as such it far exceeded any gun created on an assembly line. That had taken a very large chunk out of her funds, but it wasn't like she needed them for anything else. Certainly not _retirement._ Perish the thought. It fired lasers that were significantly faster and shorter than standard rifles; making it harder to trace where the shot had come from. She had no idea how the techs had managed to do that, but it was enough for her that it worked. Recently, she had decided to experiment with a new, heat-reducing alloy for a barrel material. Shaun was the middleman for her and these private arms dealers; that was why he currently had the weapon.

She lifted the sniper from its case, grinning at the relatively light, sleek ebony weapon as she aimed towards the wall, inspecting it carefully. The new 26-inch barrel was the same texture as the rest of the weapon. The weight of the entire four-foot long thing was the same as she remembered. Now all that was left was to see if it actually worked. And it seemed Shaun hadn't touched it after all; her scope was still spot on. _Lucky for him._

"I suppose that little act was for his benefit?" Shaun asked, nodding back towards where they had left Gage. Anaiya inclined her head. "Why? Judging by your outfit, I'd say he's your date, he looks your type…"

"He's military," Anaiya said roughly, replacing the rifle carefully in its case. Gage 'looked her type'? She scoffed inwardly. "I was in a spot of trouble before, and I needed an alibi. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"No problem," the bull replied with a shrug. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Not really. Just keep playing along and I'll be out of your hair soon. Oh, but I do need to order a few more of these HUDS. Not the custom version like mine, but just the standard one."

"Can do," he said. "It'll be a bit expensive, though."

She shrugged.

"No worries. I'm not the one paying." The vixen slipped the case strap over her shoulder and hoisted it, turning to walk back into the front chamber.

Gag glanced towards her casually; examining a scope he had taken from one of the many stacks.

"Get what you came for?" He inquired. Anaiya nodded. "Good. Oh, and we've got company."

The vixen stiffened for a moment, then relaxed and faced him.

"You sure?"

"I could go out and ask them, if you wanted," the vulpine captain said dryly. He slipped a pair of obsidian sunglasses on, and Anaiya stepped up to him. To a faraway observer, it would look as though the two were having an intimate conversation. In reality, she was using the reflective lenses to scope out the road outside. It was difficult to see details from so far away, but she thought she could see three figures across the street, waiting.

"I got 'em," she muttered, "three, right?"

"Yeah." He leaned forward slightly.

Anaiya set the rifle case down on a table and opened it, activating her HUD. She stole a quick glance over her shoulder, the device on her head recording the brief view. The vixen replayed the footage, zooming in on the trio.

"Son of a bitch." It was Wrex and his cronies. Why did this crap _always_ have to happen at the most inconvenient times?

"Friends of yours?"

"M-hm," she growled grudgingly.

"How do you want to play this?"

"We step outside this place, chances are good that we get killed. I'm not going to risk that. Leave this to me."

Gage grunted, unconvinced, and slid his hand down to grasp the grip of the pistol on his hip.

"What's the problem?"

Anaiya blinked. She had almost forgotten Shaun was there.

"I'm sorry about this, Shaun. Just take a few grand out of my account to pay for it."

He frowned.

"Pay for what? A simple apology is enough for getting me into this; I don't need the money as well."

The vixen smiled slightly, hefting Vengeance and slotting in a battery. The weapon whirred and hummed to life. Her HUD beeped, registering the familiar weapon.

"The apology was for getting you into this. The money is for the window."

"What window?" The bull asked, confused.

For an answer, Anaiya spun on her heel, bringing Vengeance up and bracing the stock against her shoulder. The trio across the road realized she was onto them and one shouted. They attempted to aim their own weapons. Of course, it was way too late for that. With a savage grin, Anaiya fired twice in quick succession, the powerful rifle kicking against her shoulder.

A pair of muted cracks, and glass shattering broke the relative silence outside in Corneria City. Wrex's two thugs dropped immediately, and the vixen adjusted her aim for the third round. The shot took Wrex through the kneecap as he dashed for cover, sending the rat crashing to the ground with a scream. Anaiya lowered the weapon, satisfied. _I've still got it._

"Nice shooting," Gage whistled. "Though I don't know why I'm surprised at anything you do anymore."

"You know what," Shaun said slowly, "I think I will take you up on that offer of a few grand after all."

Anaiya shrugged, walking to the door.

"Go ahead. I've got enough of it. I'll see you later."

She and Gage jogged out of the store and to the other side of the road, the vulpine drawing his large black handgun.

"I'm assuming you meant to not kill this last guy, and you didn't just miss?"

Anaiya gave him a scathing look, not even dignifying the question with a reply.

Wrex squirmed on the ground, writhing in pain as he clutched his shattered knee. Seeing them approach, the rat swung his gun around, only to scream louder as Anaiya calmly blasted the weapon out of his grip, taking a few fingers with it.

"I did warn you," the vixen said conversationally to the agonized Wrex. "I told you to stay away, but _no_, and this is what happens when you screw with me."

Despite her cool, almost icy, exterior, inside she was furious. How the hell had they possibly found her so fast? Had they been watching the _Great Fox?_ Even if they were, how had they known she was even on it?

The rat snarled at her, cradling his ruined hand.

"You think this is gonna make us stop? Stupid bitch, this is just gonna make it _worse!_ Radik is gonna rip you apart when he gets his hands on you now!"

Anaiya cocked her head.

"Who?"

"The boss," he spat. "Axle was one of his top guys; he doesn't take that kind of shit lying down. His guys are gonna come out in force now. You, my bitch friend, are screwed. I hope the rest of your short life is miserable."

The vixen resisted the urge to blow his head off.

"Who's Axle?" Gage asked, staring warily at the prone Wrex.

"He was hired by the other side on one of my missions a while ago; I had to take him out. Needless to say, his buddies weren't happy about it." She nodded at the rat.

"Oh." Gage looked slightly amused. "You sure get around, don't you?"

Anaiya rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. This is one of the fine print lines that no one ever reads on the contract, little things that come with the job."

"So what're we going to do with him?"

The vixen smiled wickedly as she turned to the helpless Wrex, who eyed her with a mixture of hate and fear.

"Where's your little hideout, Wrex? I'd just _love_ to meet your boss."

"Go to hell," he snarled.

Anaiya stomped hard on his crippled knee, eliciting an agonized screech of pain.

"Already there," she replied calmly, letting off the pressure a bit. "Wanna try again?"

He spat at her, and the vixen's smile widened slightly before she blew his other knee away. The scream was ear-piercing this time, and he rolled helplessly on the ground, spouting curses.

"Isn't this _fun_?" The vixen said, prodding his crippled knee with the barrel of her rifle. "It hurts, doesn't it? Yeah, I know it does. I wonder how much more of this you can take. Maybe we'll even get to the elbows before you break. I've got _plenty_ of rounds left, don't worry about that."

Gage was staring at her, and she didn't like the look on his face. _He's judging me. What makes him think he knows me well enough to judge?_

"What?" She demanded harshly.

"What are you doing?" he said quietly. She could hear the disgust in his voice, and it infuriated her.

"What has to be done," she replied coldly.

He shook his head.

"This doesn't _have_ to be done. Sometimes interrogations do have to be done, but this is torture, and you're _enjoying_ it."

"I learned from the best," she muttered callously. _You tend to remember hands-on lessons more than others._

The revulsion on his face deepened_. _

"Why don't you go wait in the car?" She suggested icily, "I won't be long."

"No." He said it calmly and firmly, not taking his eyes from her. "We turn him over to the police; he's a criminal. They'll deal with him."

"My way is better," Anaiya snarled, trying to rein in her temper. _Who does he think he is, telling _me_ what to do?_

"Being a vigilante makes you no better than them," he reminded her. "This isn't the way things are done."

That did it. Something snapped inside her. Before she knew it, the vixen was shouting.

"You think I _care_ if I'm better than them? You think I _care _what people like _you_ think of me? Here's some news for you, buddy: I don't!" Her fists clenched, and Vengeance's grip creaked from the strain. "You didn't have a problem with me gunning them down when they had a chance to fight back, but now that he can't, it's not okay for me to shoot him?" The vixen snorted in disgust. "My life is not a fairy tale, like you seem to think! Nothing's just handed to me, I make my own way! There's no happy ending waiting for me, and the end'll come a lot sooner than I'm planning on if I'm merciful to things like _him_!" Her free hand shot out to point at the now silent Wrex. "I let him go, he'll be back within a week, with a hundred more like him! I've stayed alive this long because I do what I have to. No second thoughts, no _mercy_, and no _regrets_. This is one of those things that _has_ to be done. I need to take out his leader _now_, before he has a chance to send out more goons. If I don't, I'll find a knife in my back before I can look twice. You may not have to worry about a bomb being planted on your ship, or a sniper waiting for you to come home at night, but _I_ will if I let people screw around with me! _That_ is my life, so don't try and tell me how to do things. _Your_ way doesn't work in my world!"

Anaiya was breathing heavily, her chest tight. Her jaw was clenched in a snarl, and she trembled with anger. Her head was starting to throb, and her shoulder ached again. She suddenly realized exactly what she was doing: shouting out confessions for everyone to hear. _I _hate_ this so much. Just shoot me now._

The cold, calculating portion of her mind gave her a mental slap. _Get a _grip._ Don't lose it now. _

This was not at all how she pictured this night turning out.

Gage's expression had changed, and this one made her angrier than before.

"I don't want your pity," she spat at him. "I want you to leave. Go back to the party. Have a blast. _I_ have things to attend to. Take the car, too. I'll get another."

He looked like he couldn't decide what to say, either to return her yells or speak calmly. Finally, he said

"Would it matter if I said to be careful?"

"No" was the curt response. He nodded, as though expecting it.

"Okay. I'll see you later, then."

The vixen jerked her head in a sharp nod, and he left. She heard the car start moments later, and the vehicle vanished down the darkening road. _Good riddance._

Back to the matter at hand. She didn't have much time before people starting coming to investigate the gunfire, so she had to work fast. The vixen was still fuming. _Keep a level head. Cool off, and get back in the game._

Wrex snickered at her.

"Aw, isn't that just too bad? You're _so_ _misunderstood!_"

Anaiya slammed her boot down on the newly destroyed knee and ground her heel, ignoring his screams.

"You know the question," she said quietly.

"You know the answer."

She twisted harder, then ruthlessly switched to the other knee.

During his spasms, his phone fell from his pocket. Anaiya spotted it and swooped down to retrieve it. Not removing the pressure on the rat's destroyed kneecap, the vixen scanned his text logs. One caught her eye. It was from Radik. She opened it. The text was:

_Wrex,_

_We got a tip-off that the vixen's on the _Great Fox_. Don't ask; I have no idea why she's there. That's not important. They'll be setting down at a military landing zone, zone G-35. Be there. When she shows up, tail her and, if the opportunity arises, take her out. If not, just follow her to wherever it seems she's staying and call me. I'll send some people over to deal with her. The number is 9134-023. Don't mess this up, Wrex. I've got enough problems today. Axle's replacement screwed something up over at the warehouse and I've got to go take care of that now. That'll take all night. There's a lot riding on this. You've been warned._

_Radik_

Anaiya smiled darkly as she stuck the phone into a small battery pouch on the rifle's stock.

"Where's the warehouse, Wrex?"

He laughed at her incredulously.

"You're seriously going to try and take him down? By yourself? I'll _give_ you the location; he's got guys _everywhere_ there. Guess you will be dying tonight after all."

"Where. Is. It," she ground out through clenched teeth.

"49th Street, at the far end, off by itself. I wish I could see you die there, bitch."

"Thanks so much," Anaiya said calmly. Then she shot him.

His head snapped back as the laser struck him square between the eyes, melting a cauterized hole clean through from one side to the other. The vixen stared for a moment, gazing into Wrex's glazed eyes. Another corpse to be added to the list. Was she _really_ any different than him? _Yes,_ she told herself harshly. _I'm worse. Screw Gage and screw his philosophy on life. I don't care. And enough with my _own_ philosophical debates; there are things to be done._ Fox would have to wait a bit longer.

_That_ thought jolted her from her brooding. Fox. What would he think of her, after what Gage told him? _Screw him, too. I don't need him, or anyone._ She wasn't sure if that was true or not; and that was what frightened her. For the longest time, it _had_ been true. She had been alone, relying only on herself, with no one to hinder, help, or anything in between. Now that he was back in her life, something had changed. If it came down to it, would she be able to choose between her life and his?

_This isn't the time for that,_ she hissed to herself. Anaiya snatched Wrex's corpse by the wrist and dragged it over to the other two dead rats, dumping them in a pile. The vixen activated the detonator on one of the small grenades attached to Wrex's belt and strode away, ejecting the battery in her rifle and slamming in a new one. Shaun would drop the shutters over his windows and wait until the police left to fix them. He was a smart guy; he knew how to avoid attention.

The explosion from the grenade incinerated the three would-be assassins and all evidence of her presence there, and Anaiya stepped into the car they had previously owned. All thoughts of Fox, Gage, and every other distraction were shoved out of her mind. There were vermin to be exterminated. It was time to go to work.

-

Fox sighed wearily, drumming his fingers on the table. He was extremely bored, and the black suit he wore didn't fit quite right. The music was a bit too loud as well. At least they didn't have strobe lights this time; someone had fainted last year. The highlight of the night, as it was. For Fox, at least. This party was the same as all the other ones: it involved him shaking hands with an incredibly large number of military people and politicians and listening to their repeated thanks for him saving the galaxy. It was old by the time the _first_ party was over, and here he was on number nine. This was just _barrels_ of fun. He wished Anaiya were there. They still had so much to talk about.

The rest of Dagger had split as soon as Gage had taken off, not wanting to be at the party anymore than Fox did. They, however, had a choice in the matter.

The vulpine hoped the messages he'd sent out back on the _Great Fox_ had been received; those two would certainly make this more enjoyable. They were a long ways away, so, assuming they'd received the messages and left right away, it would still be a while before they arrived.

Someone grunted as the chair next to the vulpine was pulled back, and Gage dropped into it with a sigh.

"Well, I can't say that wasn't interesting."

Fox frowned at him, confused.

"What do you mean?" He glanced around; Gage was alone. "Where's Anaiya?"

Gage sighed again.

"We…had an argument. I said something that wasn't really any of my business, and it hit a nerve. She went off on me, and we decided it was best that I came back here. She'll be here soon; she's got a…_problem_ to deal with first."

Fox stared at him. That told him almost nothing about what had happened.

"Care to embellish that a bit?"

His fellow vulpine shook his head.

"No. If she wants to tell you, that's her place to do so, not mine. But Fox…" He hesitated. "I know I said this before, but you _really_ have to be careful of her. I don't think she's entirely stable, and, based on what she said, I think I know why that is."

Fox was torn. He wanted to believe Anaiya, he really did, but Gage was rarely wrong. Maybe she wasn't being entirely truthful after all. The thought saddened him. That she would lie to him, not even an hour after meeting him again? What did that mean for them? Could she really have changed that much?

"I'll keep an eye on her," he said reluctantly.

Gage exhaled, relieved.

"That's all I'm asking. Oh, turns out she was telling the truth after all." The vulpine grimaced slightly. "We just went to collect her payment for the job she did on Fichina. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a drink." He stood, but Fox grabbed his arm.

"Hang on a sec. What makes you think she's crazy?"

"I told you; it's her place to decide to tell you about that. If she's okay with it, I'll tell you. I doubt she will be, however, so don't hold your breath. If it mattered, _really_ mattered, I'd tell you no matter what she said. But this is a kinda personal thing for her, I think."

Fox sighed and released his grip, and his friend patted him on the shoulder before leaving.

Fox stared at the table, feeling more depressed that before. What was all that about? What had Anaiya done to make Gage think she was insane? This night was not going how he hoped it would.

Something dropped onto his right shoulder, startling him out of his reverie, and he looked over to see a feathery blue hand.

"Hey, Foxie! Did you forget about us?"

Fox grinned as he turned around. At least there was a little bit of good going on tonight. He felt slightly guilty, he _had_ completely forgotten about the three of them on Macbeth. Anaiya's arrival had driven it clean out of his mind.

Falco Lombardi stood behind him, smirking down at the vulpine. Slippy and Peppy stood beside him, the toad apparently lost in a datapad he was reading.

"Actually," Fox replied, "I _did._ Sorry about that."

Falco snorted.

"See how you are?"

Peppy frowned slightly.

"How could you forget, Fox? Did something important happen?"

The vulpine's lips twitched.

"You could say that, yeah."

Falco groaned, smacking himself in the forehead with his palm.

"Oh boy, Fox's got himself a girl, I can see it now. Anyone we know?"

All three of them perked up at that, even Slippy. Fox smirked at them. They were never going to believe it. He wouldn't spoil the surprise; he'd wait for her to get back.

"Yeah, actually, you know her _quite_ well."

"Oh!" Falco jerked his head up, "that reminds me, you'll never guess who we ran into on the way here!"

"Who?" Fox thought he knew, but decided to keep quiet.

The avian gestured behind him, and the two people Fox had been hoping to see stepped forward. Fox felt his grin widen. Now everyone else was here, if only Anaiya would show up, everything would be fine…

-

The vixen in question stood on the roof of an apartment building adjacent to Radik's warehouse; Vengeance slung over one shoulder, a bandolier of grenades over the other. Wrex had quite a few of those stashed in his car. Anaiya padded to the edge, her bare feet making little noise on the hard metal. She'd decided it would be prudent to not wear the high heels, and her combat boots were in the car Gage had taken.

_Let's do this._

She took in everything, her eyes scanning the warehouse. A number of guards patrolled the outside, all of them armed. Civilians avoided this end of the street; they knew the kind of stuff that went on down here, and had no desire to be mixed in with it. _Better for me._

The way the roof was built made it impossible to effectively deploy a bipod. A foot thick safety rail/bench encircled the edge. Anaiya sat on the bench, bracing her elbow against her knee as she supported the sniper rifle, aiming down towards the warehouse's double doors. She shoved the dress out of the way impatiently, exposing her legs.

The warehouse itself was decent size; maybe five floors, and about the same length as the building Anaiya was on. Radik would exit through this door; no self-respecting arrogant syndicate kingpin would leave via a back way. All she had to do was wait.

A long, black hovercar pulled around the corner at the far end of the street not three minutes later, slowly making its way to park in front of the warehouse. Anaiya smiled. _Gotcha._

The twin doors opened, and five people emerged, four of them forming a circle, with one in the middle. She assumed that was Radik. Anaiya followed their progress through her scope. He was bigger than she expected. Big for a rat, that is. He wore a black trench coat, and was dialing something into a small device, looking annoyed.

Wrex's phone rang. The vixen whipped it out of the pouch it was in and flipped it open before it made any more noise.

"Where the hell have you been, Wrex?" Radik shouted. His voice carried over to where Anaiya sat cross-legged; she didn't need the phone to hear him. "You called and said you were going to take her out ten minutes ago! How long does it take?"

_Time to play God. Who's going to die first? I know…._

"Change of plans, asshole," she said coldly, then dropped the phone and squeezed the trigger.

Radik's head snapped back, exactly as Wrex's had, and she didn't wait to see him fall. Without wasting a second, Anaiya moved her sights to each of his minions in turn, cutting them all down without mercy. Vengeance bucked over and over in her grip. Some ran, some crouched, some yelled, some fired; all died. _Crack, crack, crack_ went her rifle without pause, and with each shot, a life was extinguished. All the while, Anaiya watched each fall with a cruel smile, before ruthlessly selecting the next to go. The driver of the car spun his vehicle around, trying desperately to get out of there, and the vixen nailed him through the windshield. She stared around. Not a single one of Radik's soldiers remained alive on the street below.

Wrex's phone struck the roof with a clang, bouncing slightly before settling to the cold metal.

_This_ was the way her world worked. Action and reaction, cause and effect. They screwed with her, they died. _So shove it, Gage. This is how it goes._ The strong survived; the weak didn't. _Now it's over. Enough with the cliché lines._

Anaiya stood, triggering the entire bandolier of grenades and hurling them down to the street. The explosives struck the motionless car and detonated in a massive fireball, destroying the vehicle. The vixen touched Vengeance's barrel. It wasn't even warm. Good. It did what it was supposed to.

She stared down at the destruction she had caused with a small smile.

She suddenly became aware of rapid footsteps on the stairwell behind her as the door burst open. _Guess I missed a few,_ she thought coldly. _How nice of them to come to me._ The vixen dropped her rifle and threw herself into a back handspring, dress flaring. Anaiya heard a weapon discharge and felt the laser sear through her upper thigh. Her acrobatics faltered, and she came dangerously close to tumbling off the edge of the building. Quick as a flash, she drew the knife she had strapped to her left leg and hurled it towards where the shot had originated. Anaiya landed awkwardly on her injured leg, spinning and drawing her holstered pistol.

A rat stood in the doorway, a puzzled look on his face as he tried to look at the knife embedded in his throat. He gurgled, choking on the blood pooling in his mouth, then fell to the ground. His companion, a youngish looking guy, stared for a second, then brought his gun to bear on Anaiya. Her pistol was trained on his chest as she rose from her crouch, favoring her leg.

The rat eyed her uncertainly, evidently unsure of what to do. The kid had obviously never been in a standoff before. The vixen decided to take advantage. She suddenly threw herself sideways, pumping a round into his chest as she did. His gun discharged as he tumbled backward. Apparently his finger was stuck in the trigger guard, because she heard the weapon continue to fire as his corpse rolled down the stairs.

_That was careless,_ she admonished herself, stepping to the side of the stairwell door and glancing in, making sure those were the only two. They were. With a sigh, she slid down the wall, stretching her leg out to examine it. Fortunately, the shot had not gone through her dress, so that was a plus. It also hadn't gone through the middle of her leg, just making a rather deep graze that, while painful, wasn't serious. Another little bonus, the laser had been high enough concentration to cauterize the wound. She wouldn't get any blood on her dress. _Good._

Anaiya retrieved her bloodied knife and stood, holstering both knife and handgun. The vixen limped over to where she had dropped her rifle and snatched it up, inspecting it for damage. Nothing.

Her HUD's red eyepiece, retracted while she used her rifle, slid back into place.

MISSION TIME: 0:17

SHOTS FIRED: 11

HOSTILE CASUALITIES: 12

ACCURACY PERCENT: 100

DAMAGE TAKEN: ONE BLASTER SHOT

APPROXIMATE PROPERTY DAMAGE: 20,000

_Not bad for twenty seconds' work._ Now, she had a party to get to. Anaiya felt even less inclined to attend than she had before, but she didn't really have a choice. The vixen limped down the stairs, rifle slung over her shoulder again as she stripped off her gloves, stepping impassively over the young rat's tangled corpse, stuck firmly in the banister. _You should've picked a different line of work, kid._

-

"So Peppy tells me Pepper's got _another _mission for us?" Falco asked, laughing. "Did he start like this: "StarFox, I _swear_ it isn't Andross this time, but my military sucks, and we need your awesome skills to save the galaxy again!"

"Not quite," Fox said with a snort, sipping from a wine glass. "He didn't even tell me much, just 'go here, find this'. I've got a full briefing tomorrow; you guys should come. He's finally going to tell me everything. Supposedly."

"Eh," the avian shrugged. "Maybe. So. You gonna tell me about this girl of yours or what?"

"I don't need to; she should be here soon."

"You've been saying that for the last ten minutes," Falco reminded him.

"That's because you've been asking me for the last ten minutes," Fox retorted. He glanced over at one of the viewscreens on the wall. He couldn't hear it from the distance he was at, but he could see a male lynx reporter, gesturing behind himself to a burning car and multiple objects concealed by white sheets. _Corpses,_ he realized with a start.

Gage stood in front of it, shaking his head in what seemed to be disgust tinged with a tiny bit of admiration before draining the last of whatever was in his glass and stomping off.

What was that about?

"Hey! You still with me?" Falco snapped his fingers in front of Fox. The vulpine jerked.

"Yeah, yeah. What'd you say?"

"I asked why you called Bill and Katt here tonight. What's so special about _tonight_, of all days?"

Fox looked at the bird, but the vulpine's gaze went straight past him to lock with the silver vixen approaching them. Anaiya looked absolutely _stunning._ She was in a beautiful red dress, and swayed slightly as she walked towards him, drawing many stares and a few whistles from the surrounding men. Fox couldn't honestly blame them for staring; even though she was his, he'd have stared if she were with someone else anyway. For the first time since their reunion, she'd removed that little red headpiece. The image was kind of ruined as she stumbled over the high heels she wore, evidently not used to walking in them.  
"That, my friend," Fox said, pointing over Falco's shoulder to the vixen, "is what is so special."

The avian twisted in his seat, then froze as he saw Anaiya, his mouth dropping open.

"Bull. Shit," he managed to force out.

"Nice to see you too, Falco," she said dryly, taking his drink from the bird's nerveless fingers and finishing it in one gulp. "How've you been?"

Falco apparently just didn't have to words to answer, so he turned to Fox.

"So that's why you called them," he said slowly, glancing at Anaiya as if he couldn't believe it. "I guess that makes sense."

Anaiya's eyes narrowed as she locked gazes with the vulpine.

"Called who?"

Fox didn't have a chance to answer, for there was an incredulous scream.

"No _way_!"

Anaiya spun, her hand dropping down to thigh level. Whatever she was going to do, she never got the chance, because a pink-furred blur cannoned into her, wrapping her in a tight hug. The vixen squirmed, gasping for breath.

"You're choking me, Katt!"

Katt Monroe loosened her grip around Anaiya slightly, laughing delightedly.

"I can't believe it! How? You-you died!"

The vixen, still trapped within the feline's arms, snorted wryly.

"So I've heard. Shocking, isn't it?"

Katt released her and stepped back a foot, still grinning.

"_You_ have some explaining to do."

Anaiya rolled her eyes.

"That phrase has been thrown around a lot lately as well."

"But wait," Katt said slowly as realization dawned, "You've been alive all this time, and didn't come see _any_ of us?"

"No, I died, and Fox just brought me back to life yesterday. Weird, huh?"

The feline nodded thoughtfully. Then slapped her. Anaiya staggered slightly, her eyes widening as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. The vixen straightened and, after a moment, shrugged.

"I guess I deserved that."

"Yeah you did," Katt said angrily, poking her in the chest. "_Why_ didn't you come back?"

"It's a rather long story; I'll tell you some other time."

Fox grinned; the reunion wasn't over quite yet.

The vixen smoothed the creases out of her dress, then realized what she'd done and grimaced. She was so engrossed in Katt's stream of questions that she didn't see Bill Grey sneaking up behind her, grinning like a kid. The husky leapt forward, snatching the smaller Anaiya up in his arms and spinning her around.

Anaiya's eyes had widened considerably when Bill had grabbed her, but she quickly settled into an annoyed expression as the husky's hug continued.

"This is getting old very fast, you know," she informed him. He opened his mouth to reply, but the vixen held up a hand. "No, wait, let me do it; I know how this conversation will go." She deepened her voice into a mocking imitation of Bill's. "Anaiya! You're alive!" She spoke normally again. "Yeah, I am, believe it or not." Back to Bill's. "Well, you have some explaining to do. I still love you, but I'm really mad about you not calling for nine years, so I'm going to do some pointless little violent act to show you how pissed I am." She looked over her shoulder at him. "Sound about right?"

"Almost," Bill replied, grinning at her. He set her down and Anaiya yelped, hopping on one leg.

"Careful!" She growled. "I'm not a friggin' rock!"

Fox, Katt and Bill frowned simultaneously. That was a bit excessive for being set down slightly too hard, though it looked like a perfectly smooth landing to the vulpine.

"Something wrong with your leg?" Bill asked, concerned.

"No," Anaiya said quickly. "I just overreacted, is all. Sorry."

That was an obvious lie and everyone there knew it. Even Anaiya realized they weren't fooled and grimaced.

"You're a worse liar now than you were before," Bill laughed. Anaiya's eyebrows scrunched together in an offended expression. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the vixen continued stubbornly. "I'm just tired. And starved; I can't remember when I ate last."

She spun to go, presumably to get food, and her gown opened just enough at the slit to reveal a long, thick burn on the outside of her thigh.

"What is that?" Katt exclaimed at same time as Fox started forward and Bill barked "Have you been shot?" Anaiya sighed and turned back to face them.

"You guys are extremely irritating," she muttered.

"What's been going on, Anaiya?" "How did that happen?" "Who shot you?" They all spoke over each other in their frenzy for answers.

"Remind me again _why_ I like you," the vixen grumbled.

Fox was shocked, Katt and Bill as well.

"What kind of an answer is that?" Bill demanded.

"We're trying to _help_ you, Anaiya," Katt said, slightly hurt.

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble and all, but I don't really need or _want_ your help." She saw their expressions and sighed, shooting a glare at Fox, as though it were all his fault. "Look," her face softened, "I'm sorry, but I'm not really in the best of moods right now, and I don't feel so good. Now is really not the best of times for catching up." She turned to go and stumbled, almost falling over. The trio was quick to step over and catch her.

"If you can't even walk, that wound's gotta be serious," Katt said pleadingly. "Let me look at it."

Anaiya pulled her arm free.

"It's not the burn, it's the damn shoes that are making me trip," she growled. The vixen closed her eyes, rubbing her temples.

Bill and Katt looked at Fox uncertainly. He shook his head. He hadn't expected her to be so…_hostile_ to them. It was like she didn't even want to talk to them. Something must have happened while she and Gage were out to do this to her.

Anaiya opened her eyes and looked past them. A small, cruel smile flitted across her face.

"That didn't take long," she said.

Fox, Bill and Katt turned to see what she was looking at. The same news bulletin from before was still being shown on the viewscreens. Fox's heart jumped into his throat. She _couldn't_ have…

"Anaiya," he said carefully, "did you _know_ that was going to happen?"

"You could say that," she replied coolly. "So when does this dance start?"

"Not for a little while," the vulpine said unsteadily. What did she mean, _you could say that?_

"Good, I want to grab something to eat first." Her eyelids flickered, and she blinked a few times, swaying.

"An, what's _wrong_?" Katt pressed, guiding her to a seat and sitting beside her. For some reason, the vixen shot another glower Fox's way.

"It's nothing; just the usual stuff. How long until we can get out of here?"

"Right before the dance starts, there'll be a speech by Pepper, and then they don't need me anymore. So anytime after that."

"What kind of 'usual stuff'?" Katt was persistent, Fox would give her that. However, he didn't think that was such a good idea right now. Anaiya was liable to just break and flip out, or something.

"I said _nothing_," Anaiya snapped, glaring at the feline who had once been her best friend. Apparently not anymore.

"Lay off her," Bill said, defending Katt. "She's just trying to help!"

"I already said I didn't want her help, or any of yours!" Anaiya shouted. Everyone in the immediate area had found somewhere else to be with varying speeds already, including Falco. Fox had no idea where he'd got to. The vixen slumped back. "I think I'm going to cry," she muttered. Katt reached out uncertainly to stroke her shoulder, and her eyes widened. She ran her hand further down Anaiya's arm.

"Yes," Anaiya answered, eyes closed. "They're scars. I know, there's a lot. I've been around."

Scars? What…

Suddenly, General Pepper's electronically amplified voice echoed throughout the room.

"Ahem, ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please!"

"Friggin' finally," Anaiya mumbled.

"As you all know, today is the ninth anniversary of the day the greatest villain the Lylat system has ever seen was defeated. Doctor Andross, the twisted genius who attempted to destroy all we hold dear, would have succeeded, if not for the heroic actions of one team of pilots. These mercenaries, the best of the best, put their lives on the line to defend our very existence! We all know who they are, and we revere them on this day every year. McCloud day is _their _day, and we're only here to celebrate it because of them! So once again, ladies and gentlemen, show them how much you appreciate them! While the rest of his team could not be here tonight, the leader of StarFox is with us now! Though he has once again declined to make a speech" there were scattered chuckles "give a round of applause for _Fox McCloud_!"

The cheering and clapping was ear-piercingly loud, as usual. Fox forced a smile and waved a bit as a spotlight illuminated him for the whole crowd to see. Pepper must not have seen the other team members arrive. He'd never hear the end of it from Falco. Anaiya surreptitiously slid her chair out of the light.

After the cheers had died down, Pepper's voice came back on.

"Well, we have a special event tonight! For the first time, the final part of this party will be a ball! The music will begin shortly; pick a partner and enjoy yourselves! General Pepper, signing off."

The spotlight flicked off and, almost immediately, a pretty young vixen stepped up to Fox, smiling hopefully.

"Would you like to dance with me, Mr. McCloud?" She asked, trying to sound seductive but only succeeding in sounding breathless. Fox reddened slightly. Must be one of the newer politicians; he'd never seen her before. Over her shoulder, he could see other women shooting death glares at the vixen, presumably for beating them to Fox. He reddened further. This was the kind of thing he thought was going to happen. Which was why he'd brought…

Anaiya's eyes snapped open in outrage as she heard the vixen speak, and she leapt to her feet. She strolled slowly over to where Fox stood; smiling so sweetly it almost disguised the venom in her eyes. She tapped the younger woman on the shoulder. Anaiya fixed that sickeningly sweet smile on her as she turned, causing the vixen to step backward slightly.

"He's taken," Anaiya informed her, nodding sadly and turning away. "What a shame. Guess you'll have to go find someone else, won't you?"

The vixen started to protest. Anaiya turned back to look at her, and the vixen gulped, leaning back.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Anaiya asked pleasantly. "I'm sure I could find _some way_ to make it up to you."

While this what Fox had wanted, Anaiya driving off everyone else, he didn't want her to start _brawling_ with them in the middle of the room. She wouldn't go that far. Would she?

Anaiya's smile turned vicious, and she crooked a finger at the vixen. "Come here," she commanded, "I want to tell you something."

Almost unwillingly, the young woman nervously approached, and Anaiya leaned down to whisper in her ear. Whatever it was that she said, it had the desired effect. The vixen paled, her eyes widening in shock, and her mouth dropped open. She stumbled back from Anaiya, trembling. Anaiya tilted her head sideways, evidently pleased with herself. She made a shooing motion, and the girl took off, quickly being swallowed up by the crowd of hopeful women. Anaiya turned to face them, hands on her hips. Fox could see Bill and Katt, their shoulders heaving as they suppressed hysterics.

"Anyone else want to dance with him?" She demanded. "Come on, step right up, don't be shy. It's not like I'm going to _bite your head off_ or anything." She gave a mean little chuckle. From the way she said it, that was exactly what she was going to do.

The crowd of hopefuls quickly dispersed, nearly all of them shooting hateful stares at Anaiya, who returned them tenfold.

Anaiya huffed once before turning back to face her three friends, all of whom were now laughing. She punched Fox in the shoulder.

"I hope that wasn't the only reason you wanted me here," she said angrily. "And what are you two giggling about?" She demanded of Katt and Bill. "It wasn't funny at all." Not waiting for an answer, she grabbed Fox's hand and dragged him onto the dance floor as the music started. "Well, whatever. I'm here now, and I'll be damned if I spend my first night with you bitching and feeling sorry for myself."

Katt and Bill looked puzzled, and Fox shrugged uncertainly. Maybe the mood swings were why Gage thought she was insane. Maybe that was all it was.

"You two have fun," Katt called to them. Anaiya inclined her head slightly and placed one of her hands on Fox's shoulder. The music was slow and steady, perfect for a slow partner dance. The vulpine did the same as she did and took her free hand in his, and they began to dance. They had plenty of space, as the other couples gave them a wide berth after Anaiya's little display.

Anaiya grinned at him.

"Remember when we did this before? I think I asked you if you had invented this dance."

Fox snorted.

"Yeah, I remember. I still can't believe you'd never heard of the Foxtrot before then."

The vixen shrugged.

"Dancing wasn't really my thing, and still isn't." She smirked. "Let's see how good you are."

For an answer, Fox moved, stepping forward with his left foot. Anaiya stepped back at the same time with her right. She tilted her head sideways, grinning. She was having fun with this, no doubt about it. The vulpine moved his right foot ahead, and the vixen mirrored him. They sidestepped, brought their feet together, and began again.

"Not too shabby, Foxie," Anaiya murmured to him.

"You're not so bad yourself," he replied. "Been practicing?"

She snorted.

"Hardly. If I ever had time for _dancing_…" Anaiya sighed. "Look, I know you meant well when you called Katt and Bill, but I just am not ready to…_reconnect_ with everyone all at once. I'm still trying to work things out, and this…"

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "but I didn't want to leave them not knowing any longer than they had to be. You don't know what they, _we_, went through when you…died. They were so happy to see you again, and you kind of," he hesitated, "blew them off."

She was silent as they continued the steps.

"Just…" Fox thought for a moment. "Try to understand them. They're only trying to help you, like me. You and Katt used to be so close, and you just shouted at her within a minute of seeing her again. How do you think she feels?"

Anaiya dropped her head against his shoulder.

"I guess you're right," she said grudgingly, "I'll try to check my anger. I've just had so much crap lately…Not you," she added in response to his expression, "but everything's suddenly happening at once, and I think I'm going to be overwhelmed."

"If you ever need to talk…"

"I know where to find you," she finished. The vixen smiled. "Thanks, Fox."

"No problem. So," he continued carefully, "What happened out there tonight? And _were_ you shot?"

She frowned.

"Gage didn't tell you?"

"No."

Anaiya looked rather surprised, then relieved.

"Well. I'll tell you some other time," she said evasively. "Tonight. I suppose Katt and Bill want the whole story?"

He nodded.

"I already talked to them. Katt can stay with us as long as she needs to, but Bill has to be back on Katina in two days."

"That's enough time. I guess you want to spend it catching up?"

"It would be nice, yeah," he laughed.

She nodded, as though that was what she had expected.

"That's fair."

Anaiya suddenly looked past his shoulder, and her eyes widened in shock. Her mouth opened.

"You've _got_ to be _shitting_ me…"

Before he could say anything, she fixed her suddenly urgent gaze on him.

"Fox, please don't ask any questions, just round up the others and get back to the ship. _Please_," she pleaded when he opened his mouth, "there might not be time. Just go."

Fox decided it would be best not to argue. What was wrong? He simply nodded, and she let out the breath she had been holding.

"Thank you. I'll be back as soon as I can. Be careful." With a quick kiss, she disengaged herself from him, striding off towards whatever she had seen.

The vulpine stared after her. What did that mean? However, he had learned to trust her judgment before, and turned to find the others. _You stay safe, Anaiya._

-

"It would be nice, yeah," Fox laughed. Anaiya nodded. Of course he would want to know all about what she'd been up to. Of course, she also wouldn't be able to tell him anything true. _Why_ had he seen the need to get Katt and Bill over here? She wasn't ready to deal with them; she'd proved that already by being a total bitch to them. They would all want answers she couldn't give. They would play the concerned friends, thinking they were helping, and they would dig up something that they wouldn't understand. They wouldn't understand why she had to do the things she did, and it would destroy the fragile trust she'd managed to build. This was going to ruin her; she'd have to changer her name again, dye her fur, and be so much more careful about secrecy. Worst, she was probably going to end up having to hurt one of them when they eventually confronted and forced her to run.

_I think I'm going to cry._

She was careful to not say it out loud that time. Her headache was worse than ever; even the pills she gone and taken hadn't helped much.

"That's fair," she said in a neutral voice. He seemed satisfied, smiling down at her. She could already see that smile shattering, replaced by the look of one betrayed. _I'm sorry, Fox._

Her gaze drifted past him, sliding through the throng of people dancing. Some of them weren't dancing, merely standing, watching. Her stare locked with one of them, and shock flooded her.

Raaze stood against the far wall, smirking at her, his black tail twitching back and forth as it always did. _You've_ got_ to be _shitting _me…_ How the hell had he gotten in here? What could he possibly want here? And _how_ was _everyone_ finding her so easily tonight? She felt Fox stiffen against her.

_Oh no._

Raaze had seen them together, was watching _right now_ as they danced. He knew, now. This was bad. Very, very bad. What if Raaze was trying to get rid of Fox, right now? He was a threat to the jaguar's plans; he'd have to go eventually. Fox and the others had to get out of here. Now.

"Fox, please don't ask any questions, just round up the others and get back to the ship. _Please_," she pleaded when he opened his mouth, "there might not be time. Just go." _Don't argue, please, just go._

He seemed to realize this wasn't the time to ask questions and merely nodded. A little of the tension went out of her.

"Thank you. I'll be back as soon as I can. Be careful." With a quick kiss, she disengaged herself from him, striding off towards Raaze without looking back.

Raaze's smile widened as she approached.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to notice me," he said conversationally. "Still, better late than never, yes?"

_Just shoot him now, end it all._ But she couldn't do that.

"What do you want?" She asked roughly. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to congratulate you on your effective removal of the syndicate leader. Nicely done."

"So what's the _real_ reason you're here?"

He arched an eyebrow.

"I will contact you tomorrow, with another mission. Do not fail me in this. But," he smiled knowingly, "enjoy the rest of your night with the vulpine."

She trembled with anger. He didn't want to _inform _her of a job well done; he wanted to tell her that he knew _everything_, her and Fox. Everything. He was telling her that he could find her anywhere she went.

"Oh," he leaned forward conspiratorially, "I suppose I should tell you: Shran is on his way here as we speak." Her lungs seemed to freeze; she couldn't breathe. _Not him._ "A bit of positive reinforcement for you, yes?"

There was nothing she could say to that, no snappy retort, no witty comeback. She spun on her heel and stalked away, Raaze's mocking laughter echoing in her ears.

--

And there you have it! I like how that turned out. What's going to happen? Make your predictions, then wait patiently while I type out what actually does happen. Review responses down there. See you next chapter.

**Destructor:** Thanks for the review, and, unless something incredibly bad happens, much more will be coming, rest assured. I've being hoping your last statement was correct since chapter one, but we'll see what happens. And I read your story a while ago, by the way. Very nice job on that. I think I wrote a review, but then again, I may have forgotten. If I did forget, now you know an extremely compressed version of what I thought.

**Red Squirrel Writer:** That was the most comprehensive review I've gotten to date. Thanks. I'm glad you don't sugarcoat things; it helps in the editing process. The whole Fox/Anaiya gig is a focal point for this story; it influences decisions on both their parts later in. It would turn out very different if they weren't so concerned for each other. You'll see later. I went and looked up that 'Mary-Sue', because I had no idea what you were talking about. My initial conception of Anaiya was almost exactly like that: perfect. But no one wants to read about someone who is perfect and does everything right. So I added major flaws and issues, and came out with the current Anaiya. I like her better this way. Quite a few of those 'issues' have only been hinted at, so far, but they will show up. Anaiya was originally going to have just plain red/orange fur, but my eccentric friend convinced me silver was the way to go. I didn't argue too much, because I kind of liked it. Yeah, I did a bit of homework on the whole shoulder-dislocating thing. I read up on how it happens, and the consequences. I have a bunch of interesting websites about that kind of stuff book marked. I think the injury to her body is a sacrifice Anaiya would be willing to make for an advantage of any kind. Yes, isn't good for her body, obviously; those syringes suppress it, temporarily. No, I'm not quite sure how that works, because I haven't gotten around to deciding what's in them. Suffice it to say they're high end painkillers and nerve stimulants. Yeah. It does catch up later, however. Her little monologues have quite a bit of foreshadowing in them. Love that technique. But I think you're right about how I overdid it, and I may not have described it quite how it happens, but I hope it's close enough. Anyway, you hit the nail on the head about Fox's little trust issues, although with the wrong end of the hammer. I know exactly what you mean, and don't worry; he's not an idiot. He's so caught up in the fact that she is actually alive after those 'nine years of abandonment' that he's willing to believe just about everything she says. For now, of course. That changes later. You're right again, though, I overdid it a bit. I need to stop giving things away, but I have this compulsive need to justify myself. Oh well. If I 'tpye liek tish', I think I'd have to hit myself. Hard. That cracked me up a bit.

**Snake of the Rose:** You don't know how much being accepted into the Masterworks means to me. Thank you so much, and you, FK! I'm aiming for the same quality in all future chapters as well, so I hope I don't disappoint. As for this becoming a legacy… We'll see. I haven't even considered anything like that, I never expected people to like it this much. I am glad you think it might, however.


	6. Chapter Five: Turning Point

Here's chapter five. Bleh. It's been forever. Who was wondering if I either died or gave up on this story? Life has been screwing around with me. I was, quite literally, incapacitated for some time. That's as much of an answer as you're going to get; so don't ask. Then, after I got up from that, my computer died. Whoo hoo. That was fun; fixing all that. I have a lot to catch up on, and a lot of people probably think I've ditched them. If you're one of them, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you. Okay, pity party's over. I've decided to try a new tactic. Instead of a few really long chapters, I'm going to break them up into a bunch of shorter ones. So that means more frequent updates, hopefully. We'll see how that works out. Also, I revamped what I wanted to do with the plot, so it's not going to be a romance story anymore. This doesn't mean the Fox/Anaiya relationship just vanishes, but I'm not going to take it as far as I originally planned. I don't see why anyone would have a problem with that, but if for some strange reason you do, I'm playing the creative license card, which trumps the whatever-I-said-before card. And I found the perfect song for Anaiya's 'theme', so to speak. I just thought I'd share it with you all.

_You're broken, so am I  
I'm better off alone  
No one to turn to and nothing to call my own  
Outspoken, so am I  
Explosive words that your world wouldn't understand  
Turn away again  
You're beaten, so am I  
I've got a heart of stone  
No medication can cure what has taken hold  
You're hurting, so will I  
When I awake and remember why I've been running from your world_

_My blood is cold as ice  
Or so I have been told  
Show no emotion, and it can destroy your soul  
Another sacrifice  
To a tormentor your world wouldn't understand  
Turn away again  
You're angered, so am I  
A thousand fires burn  
A land of darkness from which I cannot return  
You're aching, so will I  
When I awake and discover that I have been damaged by your world_  
Disturbed, _"Haunted"_  
Oh, and I got a question about Anaiya's kill count last chapter, so I'll clear that up here. There were the two on the roof, the driver, Radik and his four bodyguards, and then the guards patrolling the area, who were mentioned very briefly. It does add up, trust me.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya is mine. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. They come from some amazing stories you can find under Foxmerc's profile, "Shattered Past, Hero's Vengeance," "Blood Feud," "Vanguard," and "The Mercenary Wars." Check them out if you're looking for background information about Gage, or just need something great to read.

-

Chapter Five: Turning Points

-Could you imagine how horrible things would be if we always told others how we felt? Life would be intolerably bearable.

**Randy K. Milholland**

Anaiya stormed down the street, furious. Her eyes flashed at the pair of drunks who were weaving towards her. The little sense left to them realized this was not someone to mess around with; they promptly spun and continued in the opposite direction. The irate vixen entered the _Great Fox's_ hangar in a horrible mood, kicking her stupid heels off into a corner. _Screw them._ She thought she saw something flicker in the corner of her eye, but it was gone the next second, and she ignored it.

Before her confrontation with Raaze, Anaiya had stowed Vengeance and her HUD in the trunk of Gage's car after quickly picking the lock. Coming out to find the vehicle gone was irritating; though she knew where to find both car and weapon, the vixen wanted the reassuring weight of the rifle.

So. More complications. _Just. Perfect._ Raaze knew; she didn't know how he knew, or for how long he'd known, but he did. No use trying to dispute that. He knew she was involved with Fox. And, with the way things were playing out, Fox was going to become an obstacle. He would keep searching for that case until Raaze eliminated him. _The case._ What was so special about it? Why was it worth all this trouble, for her, for Raaze, for the military? More questions, and she _was_ going to find answers to them, if she had to bleed to do it.

Something moved in the shadows of the hangar; no doubt about it this time. It was almost as if she'd been taken on her word. Anaiya stopped, her eyes darting, searching for movement. The darkened recesses of the empty hangar seemed to hold infinite depths. Anything could hide in here. Her left hand fell to slowly curl around the grip of the small blaster on her thigh. Her anger dissipated, replaced by cold level-headedness. A mind distracted by emotions was prone to failure. Could it be a hit team already? No; it was too soon, and this was too exposed a location. The assassination of a major figure like Fox McCloud would have to be executed perfectly; no room for mishaps. Attacking him on his own ship would be foolish, home turf advantage could turn the tide quickly. Raaze would never be careless like that. So, if not an assassin, who?

_Come on, where are you…_

The vixen strode slowly toward where the _Great Fox_ sat in the center of the hangar, her eyes never stopping their vigilant probing. They roved over each little nook and cranny, hunting for something, _anything,_ out of the ordinary. A deactivated repair bot, an open toolbox…

Anaiya heard a quiet whistling sound a second before her head exploded in pain. She cried out as her vision flashed white and she reeled from the blow, her free hand flying to the side of her head. She couldn't see right; everything was blurry, as though she were underwater. Searing, red hot agony such as she hadn't felt in a very long time flooded her. The vixen stumbled, awkwardly drawing her pistol. She felt something trickling down the side of her face, and her hand came away wet with red. Something clattered to the ground, and she glanced down, blinking quickly. A wrench, one shiny silver end tarnished with her blood, lay before her.

_Notgoodnotgoodnotgood-_

A hand struck her wrist as she turned unsteadily to face her unseen attacker, dislodging the weapon in her grip. The pistol discharged with a violent blast and a flash of crimson light, the laser scorching the gray metal of the _Great Fox._ The gun went spinning away and clattered to the ground, skidding off into a darkened corner.

Anaiya's years of practice and conditioning kicked in. Ignoring her dizziness, she moved purely on instinct and, with a flick of her now-empty hand, extended her wrist blade. She was rewarded with a meaty tearing sound, but no cry of pain or shout of anger. Strange, but she allowed neither that nor her throbbing skull to distract her. Well, it was impossible to _not_ be distracted by a wrench connecting with your skull, but the vixen ignored it as best she could.

Whatever she'd impaled with her weapon withdrew from the blade with a squishing sound. The visually impaired Anaiya still couldn't see who her assailant was, and it annoyed her to no end. She lashed out blindly with a bare foot, hoping to strike _someone._ To her immense dismay, however, she missed. Her leg was fully extended when she felt a hand curl around her ankle, and another grip her thigh.

_Uh oh._

Before she had a chance to react, Anaiya was lifted effortlessly off the ground and slammed into the _Great Fox's _hull. The vixen felt a rib give as she was dropped unceremoniously to the docking bay floor.

Anaiya snarled in rage. Her chest hurt horribly and she coughed, tasting blood. The vixen bitterly regretted coming to that stupid party. With this idiotic dress on, her arsenal of hidden weaponry was severely limited. But she still had a few tricks up her sleeve, even if she couldn't see. It was _not_ over yet!

Sight wasn't the only way to locate a person. The vixen waited patiently, ears twitching as she strained for any sign of her attacker. Her rib throbbed in time with her head, but she ignored them both the best she could.

_There!_ The slightest shift, perhaps a scuffing of a boot, but she heard it. Directly above her. The vixen whipped her foot up again for another kick as she slashed in a wide arc with her wrist blade. This time she was successful. Anaiya felt her bare foot connect with her target with a _smack_. Her blade merely whistled harmlessly through the air.

The vixen heard a sibilant hiss, and she froze. The amused sound had barely faded from the air when she felt a hand wrap around her throat. Anaiya brought her wrist blade up to stab the offender and he caught the weapon's edge and started to twist. The blade creaked from the strain for a few seconds, then snapped off at the base, splintering into a jagged edge. She blinked, stunned. Barehanded, he'd torn her blade out of its socket. Who-

"Miss me?"

The vixen's heart dropped, and her stomach knotted. There were only two people in the galaxy that could scare her in the least. _He _terrified her. The consuming, absolute fear that she reflected on in her broodings reminded her that she was not omnipotent, or invincible, or anything remotely close to either. And it disgusted her. She hated herself for being so weak. She was just another link on the food chain. Higher up than most, certainly, but there was always someone higher. _He_ happened to be higher.

Through her blurred vision, Anaiya could barely make out the deep black scales with a spot of orange, but the petrifying crimson eyes burned into her clearly.

Shran bared his razor-sharp teeth in some twisted semblance of a smile. It looked more like a grimace. The hand around her throat tightened as he leaned closer.

"My tools pine for your company, fox," He hissed in her ear. "We've been so _lonely_ without you."

Anaiya snarled at him, struggling fruitlessly against his iron grip. She refused to let him see her afraid. Although, it seemed a moot point; he'd reduced her to tears before, a little fear was nothing. The reptile chuckled cruelly, running a long black nail down some of the many scars on the vixen's arm. Most of which he'd personally inflicted.

Shran continued speaking. "Lord Raaze sends his greetings and a, quite unneeded, I'm sure, reminder for you to make yourself available for your upcoming mission."

"Still calling him 'lord', are you," Anaiya snorted derisively. "And here I thought you couldn't kiss his ass anymore than you already did."

Instead of taking offense like she'd simultaneously hoped for and dreaded, Shran merely chuckled again but otherwise ignored her.

"Of course, I didn't come all the way out here just to deliver a message like that," the enormous reptile whispered slyly. The bottom dropped out of Anaiya's stomach. "I'm here for some much needed, shall we say, _catching up_."

It was too much. No way would she go through that again. Lightning fast, the vixen slammed the jagged fragments of her shattered wrist blade into the spot where Shran's shriveled black heart would be. The razor-edged metal sank with only a small amount of resistance into the dull black scales.

Instead of slumping off her, dying, or screaming in pain, Shran merely looked at her with a disappointed expression. He seemed oblivious to the dark blood dripping down his chest.

"Is that all?" He asked, evidently dissatisfied. "I expected more. I suppose I overestimated you. You know what happens now, don't you?"

Anaiya went cold. She did indeed know. Each time she'd attacked him, retribution had swiftly followed.

"I've missed carving patterns into your flesh," the cold-blooded reptile said conversationally. "Injecting you with hallucinogens and all those other wonderful drugs was interesting too." The vixen's lips pulled back in another snarl, anger overcoming fear. She remembered those times all too well. She tried to move, and the hand around her throat tightened again, to the point where she couldn't breathe. She struggled again, but no more effectively than before. The vixen choked, blood spilling from her mouth. Her vision had begun to blacken when Shran scowled, baring his teeth again.

"It seems your 'friends' are useful for something after all," he spat. "We'll have to continue this some other time. Be prepared. Or rather don't be; it's fascinating when you're surprised."

He maintained his grip on her neck for a second longer, than released his vice-like hand and stood. Flashing his teeth menacingly, the lizard took a step backward and melted into the shadows. It was like he was never there. But Anaiya's aching body, the bloodied wrench, and the blaster scorch mark all concluded that he definitely_ had _been.

A moment later, Anaiya heard muffled voices and pounding footsteps. She grimaced. Shran's hearing was evidently much better than hers. Now, just to get her bag, clean up the blood and everything would be fine.

_Oh. Shit._

That wouldn't work very well, with Fox and the gang rushing out behind her. Anaiya stood up slowly, wincing at the flare in her ribs. This would raise more questions, more _damn_ questions. There was no way they'd let her waltz off without an explanation this time. Damn nosy people. Sometimes friends were more of an inconvenience than an advantage. Although if they hadn't come running, she would have had the pleasure of being reintroduced to Shran's torture methods.

She frowned. She'd called them her friends. A part of her automatically accepted this. Her old part. Her new self scoffed at the very idea. Friends were a burden. They could be turned against her so easily. That was the trouble with keeping secrets. Sooner or later, they came back to bite you. Hers had very sharp teeth.

Suddenly, the lights flicked on.

"Anaiya!"

_Crap._

Anaiya resignedly turned to face the worried sounding Fox and stumbled. He wasn't quite as blurry. Her head swam and she cursed. That was exactly what she needed.

"What happened?" Fox asked, catching her shoulder. Concern was evident on his face, which quickly changed to shock as he looked at her. She scowled inwardly. _I don't look that bad._ _Do I?_

They were all there: Fox's crew, Katt, Bill, Gage, and Dagger. _It's a regular goddamn party._

"I tripped," she replied blandly. "I couldn't see in the dark."

Fox's concerned look quickly shifted to accommodate disapproval. Obviously, he didn't buy it.

"Sorry, the hangar of gullible idiots is one door over," Gage said dryly. "What's the deal with this?" He held up the bloodied wrench questioningly. The vixen noticed the rest of Dagger all had hands on blasters, carefully scanning the room.

"Someone hit you with a _wrench_?" Fox exclaimed. "Who?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Why are you lying, Anaiya?" Katt asked. Anaiya could see the hurt in her face. _Life _sucks_ a lot. _

"Because it isn't any of your concern," she responded coldly. God, she hurt. Maybe if she were more of a total bitch to them, they'd give up on her and leave her alone. Somehow, she doubted it. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get something out of that car." She pointed at the vehicle she and Gage had used earlier.

Bill shook his head in disgust. "We come all the way across the galaxy to see you again, after nine years, and this is how you treat us? You're not the same person as you were then." One down.

"I'm glad I finally got through to at least one of you." The vixen could feel blood welling in her lung. The rib must have punctured it. _Not good._

Fox glared at Bill for a second before returning his attention to Anaiya. "Anaiya, come on. Talk to me. ROB picks up a gunshot, and we find you out here with blood all over your head. What. Happened." It wasn't a question this time. _Good for you._

She ignored him and walked carefully towards the car. Her vision swam again. If she collapsed now, she'd never hear the end of it. Fox stepped in front of her and put his hand out to stop her. Of course, it happened to connect with her broken rib. With a yelp of pain, Anaiya hopped backward and almost fell again. She would have if the vulpine hadn't reached out and caught her. He pulled her close.

_Uh oh._

"Please," he whispered, "if you're not going to tell me anything, let's at least go to the infirmary. You're hurt, don't even try lying about that."

"Am not."

"You are _way_ too stubborn," Gage commented. She flashed him a one-fingered salute.

Fox continued his advance. "If you're not hurt, why'd you flinch when I touched you? Seems like a broken rib to me."

_Don't cough._

"Maybe you should review your medical stuff then," she replied indifferently, trying desperately to hold in a cough.

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm right."

_Dontcoughdontcoughdontcough-_

She coughed. Blood sprayed in a fine mist and spattered Fox. His eyes widened and he grabbed her arm.

"No," he said sharply as she opened her mouth. "You _are_ coming, if I have to drag you."

_Stupid, bull-headed ass!_

She really didn't want an exam. Really, _really_ didn't want one. It was little things like that that ruined lives. This would most certainly ruin the fragile one she had here.

"I need my bag," she grunted, hunching over as her side throbbed in tune with her bleeding skull. She suddenly found it being thrust into her hand by Gage. Surprising, she hadn't even seen him go get it. Quickly, she opened it and grabbed the black box. As an added bonus, her HUD was stashed in there as well, along with the keypad attachment. Not caring that everyone was staring at her, she popped in the code and snapped the lid open.

Startled gasps filled the room. That many pills made them think that something was seriously wrong with her. Which it was; but they didn't need to have her confirm that. Without acknowledging the noises, Anaiya popped three of the red pills and one blue one. She decided against the stims for now. That would cause an uproar. The vixen slipped her HUD on. It whirred to life and bombarded her with messages about the various damage on her body. She ignored it.

"What happened to your knife?" She blinked. Not the question she'd been expecting. Trust Gage to do that.

"Which one?"

"The one that's now a bloody stump on your wrist."

_Oh. That one._

"No idea," she said blandly. Fox twitched her arm, and she made a face at him. She thought he frowned, but it was hard to see.

"Why are your eyes twitching like that," he asked, puzzled. Anaiya cocked her head quizzically.

"Like what? They seem fine to me."

"They're messed up," he said worriedly. "Must have been that blow to the head you never took." Not too worried that he couldn't make jokes, apparently.

"I don't need-" she said stubbornly, but Fox cut her off.

"Enough. Bill, help me carry her."

She backed away as the pair advanced. "No."

Gage chuckled, and she swung around to glare at him.

"What's with you?"

"You. I don't get you at all. You're somehow still on your feet after you got hit in the head with a wrench, probably have a concussion, and then a mysterious punctured lung, and are refusing medical attention from your best friends while managing to insult them at the same time. You _are _talented."

"That lung didn't work too well anyways," she said dismissively. Suddenly, the vixen felt a hand clamp down on each of her shoulders, and cursed herself for an idiot. Using the argument as a diversion, Bill had circled around, and now they had her. She wouldn't hurt them to get away. Yet.

She would have thrown her arms up if they weren't being held. "Fine. You know what? Let's go. I'm sure you'll love to see it all. I really don't care anymore. Don't blame me later when you regret this."

She felt Bill stiffening and snorted in disgust again.

"I don't want to hear _anything_ about the scars. Got it?" She didn't even bother looking to see his nod. "Let's go already, then."

-

Fox, Bill, and the somewhat reluctant Anaiya entered the infirmary, the rest close behind minus Falco and Slippy. They'd both found excuses to be somewhere else. Not that Fox really blamed them. The vixen hadn't struggled at all, but they hadn't removed their hands, just in case. Fox was still in shock, about a number of things. There was so much blood on her head, but she didn't even seem to notice. And the way she lashed out at everyone? He didn't know what to think. As much as he hated to admit it, she was not the same Anaiya they'd known.

He felt his heart break a little.

Anaiya sat down stiffly on an examination table, shooting dark looks at everyone, Fox in particular. In retrospect, it may have been a bad idea to have called Bill and Katt. But how the hell was he supposed to know she'd react like that? It was like she was…_afraid_ of them, as ridiculous as it sounded. She didn't seem to want to get close to them, emotionally or physically.

ROB was already there, busily powering up all sorts of machines for the vixen. She spat a mouthful of blood on the floor. Looking at her, you'd never know she was breathing blood through one lung instead of air, and probably had the worst headache of her life right now. She looked like a teenager who'd just been given a horrible lecture by her parents and was now plotting revenge.

As ROB approached with the wires, something flashed through Anaiya's eyes. Fox was shocked when he identified it. Fear. She was _afraid_ of the wires?

No. He knew it was deeper than that. She was afraid of what the machines would tell them about her. What was so important to hide?

As instructed by the robot, Anaiya lay back on the table with a grunt of pain. ROB attached the wires to her, then ran some scans with a green glowing bar that he swept over the prone woman. The monitors lit up with all kinds of beeping and red-flashing lights. Fox frowned. He was no expert, but red was generally bad.

"Warning," ROB blared through his speakers, his monotone never changing, "Improper brain function detected. Moderate concussion detected. Hypertension detected. Collapse of left lung imminent. Minor lacerations det-"

Fox held up a hand, stopping the flood of information. Anaiya's venomous expression should have melted the robot where he stood. "That's enough, ROB. Just…treat what you can, and print out a list of everything."

He was sure he wasn't the only one aghast at the diagnosis. To have that much wrong with her, Anaiya must have been flinging herself into danger at every possible opportunity, or just neglected herself on a horrible level.

Anaiya rolled her eyes in annoyance. "This is really unnecessary, you know," she said bitingly. "I'd be fine on my own."

"What have you been doing to yourself," Katt asked in an almost awed voice. "Don't you care at all?"

Anaiya shrugged. "Not really. I told you you wouldn't like it, didn't I? Can I say 'I told you so' now?"

Katt, apparently, had had enough. The feline exploded in anger.

"How can you be saying all this," she hissed at Anaiya, getting right up in the vixen's face. Anaiya stared back with a kind of pitying condescension. "We're doing everything we can for you. We're helping you, and you're spitting on us! How can you be so cold?" Anaiya's expression remained the same. Katt snarled and smacked her right across the face. _That_ knocked the look right off the vixen's face, replacing it with a barely controlled rage.

"I've been hit enough tonight, thanks," Anaiya replied coldly. "I don't need you doing it too. I didn't _ask_ for your help, I didn't _ask_ you to do 'everything you can for me.' I asked you to leave me alone. No, I _told_ you to leave me alone! You forced the issue, and this is what you get. I warned him" the vixen jabbed a finger at Fox "to let it lie. But no, he couldn't do that! He had to call you two and drag you over here to open the wound further. Don't any of you think at all?" She stared around in disgust, not even flinching as ROB set her broken rib and inflated her lung. "Did it ever occur to you that there might, just _might_, be a good reason why I've never, after all this time, made contact with any of you? No, no, of course not. You never think. None of you. I'm the only one that _has_ changed!" She covered her mouth and coughed. "You're all the same naïve kids you were in the academy. " Anaiya showed them the hand she'd covered her mouth with. Blood glistened darkly on her palm. "Welcome to my world! I told him already" she jerked her head sharply towards Gage "this is how I live. You guys just don't get it!" She shook her head. "You know what? I tried. I really did. No more. I'm done. Sorry Fox, I'm bailing on your little mission. I'm sure you can do it without me. Have good lives, all of you. Erase this day from your memories. I promise, you'll never see me again."

Anaiya stood, shoving the robot aside. Without a second glance at any of them, she strode toward the door, only to have her way blocked by Gage. Her fists clenched, and her eyes should have nailed him to the wall.

"I think you'll regret it if you go through with this," the vulpine said conversationally to the enraged vixen. "Cool off, and try again."

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way." It sounded like she chewed each word over before spitting it out.

"Anaiya," Fox trailed off. She didn't even look at him. He felt his anger rise. "What happened to your promise? We could start over, you said. You always kept your promises."

She still didn't look at him. "The old me always kept promises. This me keeps them if it's convenient."

"And what? Suddenly it's just not _convenient_ anymore?" He shouted at her. He knew he'd lost his temper, but he didn't care.

Anaiya finally spun to face him, fury painting her face. "It was supposed to be just me and you!" She yelled back. "I could handle one person knowing, I could control the attention I'd get! But you couldn't leave it at that! You had to get everyone here. You tipped him off! _That's_ how he knew, it wasn't me! It was _you!_" She seemed to be undergoing a revelation in the midst of their argument. "The old gang drew some attention, didn't it? Hm, what was it I was avoiding by not meeting with you? For _nine years?_ Attention! How is that so hard to get? But you couldn't get it through your thick head." Her chest heaved as she breathed heavily, her glare locked on Fox.

The vulpine was stunned. He understood her not wanting attention, but he assumed she meant from the military, over the incident at the academy. He'd thought she wanted to avoid bringing that back up. Apparently not. But whom was she hiding from?

"You could have told us," he said slowly. "The old Anaiya would know we'd help you with anything. You should know that too."

She shook her head slowly. "You _still_ don't get it." The vixen glanced around at the confused faces. "None of you do. Let me put it this way, then: _the old Anaiya is dead_. She died on the streets of Corneria six years ago. She was shot in the chest and bled out. I'm what rose from the ashes. I'm not the person you knew. Do you understand _now?_"

That didn't make any sense. She was shot? But she couldn't have died, or she wouldn't be here now.

"What happened?" Fox asked quietly.

Her brow furrowed. "What?"

"This is what you were talking about earlier, isn't it? The 'event' that changed your mind. What was it? I think you owe us that much."

Anaiya's eyes hardened. "I don't _owe_ you anything," she hissed, "but you want to see what screwed up my life? Fine. Maybe you'll all finally shut up for a while." She strode over to one of the viewscreens on the wall and tapped a button on her HUD. Her typing sounded like machine gun fire as her fingers flew over the keys.

A picture appeared on the screen, bouncing as the camera-bearer moved. It must have been recorded through the device she wore.

"There," the vixen said with a bit of grim satisfaction. "Eat your hearts out and choke on it." She left the room, and no one tried to stop her this time. Everyone's attention was riveted on the video, Fox included. _Maybe we'll finally get some answers._

The footage was high quality for coming from such a small device. Since her HUD recorded it, the viewers would see everything Anaiya had seen. She appeared to be in a large vehicle, staring out the tinted window. The city buildings flashed past. The car looked to be rather expensive; it was quite roomy, for one thing, and the driver must have been in another section, because Fox couldn't see anyone else. _Is it her car?_

"So my daddy's paying you again, right?" A new voice, high pitched and excited, squealed through the speakers. The camera turned to take in a young female hare, bouncing in her seat while staring at Anaiya.

"Yep" came Anaiya's voice. Fox was startled. She sounded…normal, like he remembered her sounding, not constantly strained and tense.

"Why?"

"Same reason as last time. You remember what I said then?"

The girl's face scrunched up as she tried to remember. "You…you said bad people wanted to talk to me, but my daddy didn't want me to see them. Right?"

Anaiya shrugged. "Close enough." She ruffled the girl's head fur playfully. The kid laughed and squirmed away.

"So," the girl hesitated slightly, calming down, "why do you have-that?" She pointed down at Anaiya's waist. The camera tilted to focus on the black pistol on Anaiya's hip.

"It's just in case," the vixen replied comfortingly, squeezing the hare's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Okay?"

The girl nodded, and Anaiya resumed staring out the window.

Fox frowned. It seemed like Anaiya was acting as a bodyguard for the kid. The vulpine felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Obviously, this did not have a happy ending.

The buildings continued to scroll past, slower this time. It seemed like your average day; a few people walking into and out of stores, open windows, shop displays. Unsurprisingly, the camera jerked and Anaiya's breath hissed out in a gasp as it caught the image of a rat leaning out a window. By itself, that was nothing rare, but the shoulder-fired rocket he held definitely made him stick out. The HUD screamed a warning, and a smaller image of the weapon appeared onscreen, with specs. He fired.

"Shit!" Anaiya, without a second look, grabbed the girl beside her and dove to the opposite side of the car, shielding the kid with her body.

There was a whining screech a moment before the camera was violently rocked. The explosion of the missile drowned the sound of rending metal out as the car rolled. The spectators, watching with baited breath, gasped as one.

The camera flickered momentarily, cutting out. It returned as Anaiya, with trembling arms, lifted herself off the whimpering girl and drew the pistol at her side. She growled, and the screen flashed again.

WARNING: MAJOR BURNS DETECTED OVER 50 PERCENT OF BODY. SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION.

The vixen groaned and rolled over, observing the inside of the car. It was a wreck. The front half of the vehicle had been blown away. Jagged metal and smoldering upholstery was all that remained. There was a sob, and Anaiya swung back to face the trembling kid. The vixen laid a comforting hand on the small shoulder.

"Hey, listen to me."

The girl looked up at her and her eyes widened. "You're hurt," she whispered.

Anaiya waved a hand. The fur was scorched. "It's nothing. Listen; when I open this door, I'm going to go out first. Once I say so, I want you to run to the nearest building and stay there until I come get you. Okay?"

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me," Anaiya said reassuringly. "Just make sure you run as fast as you can. Got it?"

The girl nodded, and Anaiya crawled past her. Checking her pistol, the vixen shoved the crumpled door open.

The street was a mess. Shards of metal had peppered the road, some slicing into pedestrians. People screamed and ran everywhere, stumbling into buildings, desperate in their haste to escape the danger outside. The vixen's breath hissed out as she hauled her burned body out of the remnants of the vehicle. Her pistol snapped up as she about-faced to train the weapon on the rat, who was still leaning out of the window. The rodent's pleased grin at his handiwork vanished as Anaiya pumped a laser blast into his teeth. He toppled backward out of sight. Unfortunately for Anaiya, he wasn't the only one interested them. Roughly a dozen new contacts appeared on the street, flooding out of buildings or their own vehicles.

"Shit," the viewers heard Anaiya mutter. It was different than how she said it before. Then, it had sounded surprised, loud, maybe even angry, but now it just sounded…defeated. They watched in awe as she sighed in resignation and raised her weapon again, firing as quickly as the gun would allow.

"Kid!" Anaiya shouted, blowing a hole in a charging monkey's face, "Go! Now!"

Obediently, the young hare stumbled out of the vehicle, scampering across the street, sobbing and whimpering as she dashed through the deadly crossfire between the vixen and her assailants. She turned to look back for Anaiya.

The vixen swore. "Keep going!" she yelled, then the camera jerked violently. The girl's eyes widened in horror as the HUD screeched.

WARNING: LASER IMPACT DETECTED. ORGAN DAMAGE CONFIRMED. VITAL SIGNS ARE DROPPING.

The camera tilted down to observe Anaiya's trembling hand touch the small round hole in her stomach, almost disbelievingly. Her breath came in short gasps. Slowly, she turned her head towards the girl running back to the wounded vixen, tears streaming down the girl's small face. A rat came up behind the kid, a knife raised menacingly. Anaiya's pistol snapped upward from her side and spat crimson death upon him, then turning and finding a new target.

"Get out of here," she croaked out to the little girl, ignoring the warnings of her headpiece. She managed get to her feet and down two more enemies before she was struck again. The horrified viewers watched, transfixed, as a thin red line lanced through her right shoulder, and one through her upper thigh a moment later. The pistol tumbled from nerveless fingers, her body quickly following it to the ground as yet another laser buried itself in her side.

EMERGENCY: VITAL SIGNS CRITICAL! USER DEATH IMMINENT!

The camera showed only the sky. It was a beautiful, clear blue, unblocked by clouds, marred only by the occasional ship zipping past. Anaiya's head flopped to the side, and she saw the hare again. She was quaking, too terrified to move as she crouched near the crippled vixen in the shadow of the destroyed car. The remaining thugs, realizing Anaiya was done, rushed about, almost completely ignoring them, for some reason. Then a shadow fell across the kid, and the vixen craned her neck.

A sleek black jaguar stood above her, smirking slightly as he stared down at the child. Slowly, his malicious yellow eyes never leaving the terrified girl, he drew a blaster from its holster on his belt. Anaiya made a strangled noise, reaching for the girl with a trembling, bloodstained hand. The little hare gazed up pleadingly at the feline. The jaguar looked at her in amusement, his head cocked slightly as if he didn't understand something. Then, without any hesitation, he raised the blaster to the hare's head and fired.

The laser drilled a small hole clean through her bright eye, exploding out the back of her skull. She stayed upright for a moment, swaying, then fell, ever so slowly, to the side, vanishing from the camera's vision.

MISSION-CRITICAL FRIENDLY CASUALTY. MISSION FAILURE. LOGGING STATISTICS.

A low growl escaped from Anaiya's lips. The camera trembled again, this time not only from pain. The vixen's burned hand stretched towards the fallen pistol, reaching…

A black boot stomped down on her wrist, and something cracked. She managed to raise her head to glare up at the jaguar, who was now _clapping_, the metal gloves he wore clanging loudly.

"Bravo. You'll do nicely. But first," he glanced down at her, still straining to reach the gun "I think you need to be a bit more…pliable, if you catch my drift." His pistol came up, pointing square at her chest.

He fired.

The camera shuddered again and fell as Anaiya's head hit the pavement.

VITAL SIGNS FLAT-LINE. USER DEATH. TERMINATING VIDEO RECORDING.

The feed went black.

They all stood still, not knowing what to do. What were they _supposed_ to do? No one had said a word during the video, too horrified by what was occurring. Now, still no one knew what to say. Anaiya had long since vanished from the room, so it was a bit less awkward than it would have been. How did you deal with something like that?

Still in shock, Fox turned slowly to ROB, asking the only question he could voice. "Was there anything abnormal about her heart?"

The robot whirred for a moment before answering. "Subject's organic heart has been replaced with a mechanical substitute."

-

Anaiya stormed along the hall of the _Great Fox_, on her way to the hangar and out of Fox's life.

_It's for the best._ It was the right thing to do. They could end up killing her, intentionally or not. Or they could just give her up to the military. God knows she'd done enough to warrant jail time. Like that infernal vial she'd stolen for…

Her HUD clicked, indicating she had an incoming transmission.

_Speak the devil's name, and he appears…_ She activated it.

"You are going to kill someone for me," Raaze said without preamble. "He has been a thorn in my side for a long time. It's time to remove him. You know whom I am referring to. You have a week to do it. Don't fail me." The call ended.

Anaiya stood still, her mind frozen. This was what she had been afraid of, dreaded since she met him again. She knew it was going to happen. He was too bent on justice and righteousness for his own good. It was going to be his downfall one day, and it looked like that day had come.

The vixen resumed her walk to the hangar, slipping into her killer mindset. There were arrangements to be made, items to be acquired, for she had a job to do. It was him or her. Failure on a mission from this particular employer meant death. Before the week was out, one of them would be dead. And Anaiya did not want to die. Therefore…

Her eyes hardened to slits of green ice, and her jaw set.

She was going to kill Fox McCloud.

-

Well. Blah. I…really, really don't like how this chapter came out. I HATE it. I rewrote this so many times, and I still can't get it. At least seven rewrites, I'd say. It still just doesn't click for me. At all. Anaiya's big secret came out much, much earlier than I originally planned, and the mission recording playback was just plain horrible. The weird POV irritated me. And, for some reason, I just can't write Fox's POV very well. It's just boring to read. Anaiya just flows so much better for me.

So there you have it. Anaiya's secret out in the open. So who knows what that little remote is for, hmm? And I have no idea about half of that medical sounding crap I spouted. I just looked up a few things and stuck them in there. You reinflate collapsed lungs, I think, so that's right. And I do know what hypertension is, she has that. And I'm sure someone will recognize where some of her HUD messages are from. Anyway, will she go through with it? Will she kill Fox? And for those of you scoffing at this and saying I'd never kill a main character….

…

Ha.

See you next chapter.


	7. Chapter Six: Take the Shot

Back again, FINALLY. No really valid excuse for being late this time, so I won't even try. Well, aside from getting a quartet of teeth ripped out of my head. That was a tiny bit distracting from my writing. Wisdom teeth are a bitch. Oh, I was working on a short little story with Foxkong, which is up now. It's for a contest hosted by one of the little communities running around on this site. We decided to give it a shot. If anyone cares, it's a bit more back-story on Anaiya, more than you'll get from this alone, if I continue the way I'm planning. Anyway, a month (two?) later, here's chapter six. I'm not going to make a promise I might not keep, so keep an eye out for faster updates, but don't hold your breath. Oxygen is good for you, you know.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya is mine, along with any other original characters I don't list here. Grim Asher, who is mentioned in passing, belongs to Foxkong. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. If you want to use one of these characters, contact their respective owners. I can help you with that if needed. Unfortunately, I misplaced the roster of Nintendo's personal emails. Whoops. Guess you can't talk to them.

-

Chapter Six: Take the Shot

-Nothing is as simple as we hope it will be.

**Jim Horning**

Anaiya sat with her back pressed to the hull of the _Nemesis_, absently flicking her wrist blade.

Extend, retract, extend, retract…

She'd thought of a better plan than the one she'd come up with during her tantrum. If she stayed close to McCloud, she'd have more opportunities to eliminate him than if she'd just run off in a huff. Not really thinking about what she was doing, the vixen absently rummaged around inside the black case and retrieved yet another handful of multi-colored pills, popping them into her mouth and throwing her head back to swallow.

_Extend, retract, extend, retract…_

Simply walking back into the _Great Fox_ and gunning everyone down, while more than likely within her power, was not the way to do things. There were too many risks and unpredictable factors. Dagger would be a definite problem in this venture; Fox was rather naïve, but Gage was not so easily fooled, and he didn't trust her one bit. Working around him would be tough. Merely taking him out, while simpler, might be difficult. Dagger wasn't number one for nothing.

_Extend, retract, extend, retract…_

No, this would have to be done very carefully. Anaiya needed a concrete plan, as close to infallible as was possible. Someone to frame would also be nice, but not necessary. She'd had plenty of people after her before; disappearing was a specialty of hers. Although, she'd never pulled off an assassination that would draw this much attention: she'd have everyone from the military to the homeless after her once she killed McCloud!

_Extend, retract, extend, retract…_

But so what? It had to be done. Really, it did. It was him or her. Dying wasn't on her agenda anytime soon, and even if she did refuse to kill McCloud, Raaze would send someone else after him after she bit the dust. It would accomplish nothing; McCloud would still end up dead, and Raaze was happy either way.

_Extend, retract, extend, retract…_

Why was she thinking about this so long, anyway? It was just another kill; one simple squeeze of the trigger or thrust of the knife, and it was all over, just like the others. She'd collect a nice fat paycheck and move on. She'd never have to think about him again.

_Extend, retract, extend, retract…_

But, how would she do that? She _always_ thought about him, much to her chagrin. Not during a job, never then, but in the cockpit, at night in a hotel, anytime she was alone, her thoughts drifted back to Fox. She wondered what he was doing, if he missed her, all the usual stuff. She'd even come to Corneria a few times on a job and taken a small detour, just watching him go about his life. Fox seemed so happy, so content.

_Extend, retract, extend, retract…_

And why shouldn't he? McCloud was famous; everyone loved their little savior, the one who crushed the big bad Andross into tiny bite-sized particles and liberated the system. Then he went off and stopped a planet from blowing apart. Joy for him. More glory for McCloud. Just what his ego needed; more stoking.

_Extend, retract, extend, retr-_

Anaiya was jerked abruptly from her brooding as her wrist blade stopped suddenly, mid-retract. She glared at the weapon, as if blaming it for interrupting her. The vixen looked closer and found a hunk of dried blood stuck in the mechanism. Muttering a quick curse, Anaiya spat on the device, rubbing the clot out with her dress. She flicked the blade experimentally a few times, nodding in satisfaction when it slid smoothly both ways.

She glanced to her left, and frowned. Light was leaking in from the open hangar doors, flooding the bay with a golden glow.

Anaiya's brow furrowed. Wasn't it night out? Yeah, that's right; she'd got in a fight with Fox, then the call from Raaze, and came out here. It had been late, but not _that_ late.

Someone approached her, walking quietly as not to disturb her, but Anaiya already knew who it was. With a calm, collected slowness, the vixen stood and turned.

McCloud stood there, shuffling his feet anxiously as he stared at her. He opened his mouth to speak, but surprise stole across his face as he looked at her. Anaiya tilted her head slightly, returning his look. The vixen reached down to her leg and, shifting aside the folds of her dress, drew the black pistol holstered there. The weapon rose smoothly, not wavering in the least, to point at his chest.

McCloud didn't move from his position; he merely stared at her in shock. Questions flashed across his face; he didn't even need to speak. She could read them plainly enough. Anaiya shrugged slightly at him, as if apologizing. Disappointment, and the most hurt expression she'd ever seen replaced the puzzlement, and his eyes turned sad.

Anaiya could hear, as if from a great distance, someone shouting frantically, panicking. She glanced over to see the others rushing towards them, yelling something incomprehensible. Gage had his pistol out, with a look of extreme frustration and anxiety; McCloud was between him and his target.

Anaiya returned her gaze to McCloud. He still stared at her, still unmoving, still unafraid.

"Why?" he asked sadly.

Anaiya shook her head slowly.

Then squeezed the trigger.

The first shot caught McCloud in the upper chest, knocking him backwards. A collective roar of fear and outrage went up from the sprinters, but the vixen ignored them and fired again with a mechanical precision. And she felt nothing.

The second shot struck him lower in the gut, doubling the vulpine over. No blood leaked from the cauterized wounds, but the pain was undiminished. And she felt nothing.

Painfully, the trembling McCloud managed to straighten up, clutching his mortal wounds. The pain on his face had little to do with the blaster wounds. It was emotional. But she felt nothing.

The third and final shot lanced through McCloud's left breast, the crimson laser illuminating his face with a bloody pallor. The trembling ceased. His accusing, questioning eyes never left her as he slowly leaned backward, gracefully falling to sprawl on the cold, dull metal of the hangar. A light smoke continued to rise from the holes in his motionless chest. The glint left his gaze, and his eyes closed for the last time. And she felt nothing. She'd killed McCloud, and-

"Anaiya?"

No, scratch that. Premonitions, fantasies, or whatever you wanted to call them didn't count. She hadn't killed Fox yet. Sighing, Anaiya refocused her gaze on the vulpine before her.

Fox smiled uncertainly at her, obviously wondering if she was still pissed about their argument.

She had to act normally; anything else might throw suspicion on her. Not that he could tell the difference between her normal mood and the mode she switched into for killing, but that was beside the point.

Anaiya raised a hand, forestalling him. "Let's not talk about that yet," she said pointedly. "When I feel like it, we'll sit down and have a nice little heart-to-heart chat, but not now. So if that's what you wanted, sorry."

Fox brightened. "No, actually, that wasn't it. Gage and me are going to a briefing with the General about the details of this mission. Since you're joined up with us, I figured I'd ask if you wanted to come along." He took a breath. "That is, if you're staying."

Anaiya easily suppressed the urge to chuckle. This was a rather lucky break for her. Thank God for naivety.

She pretended to think about it, and then slowly inclined her head. "Yeah, okay, I will. And why wouldn't I stay?" Playing it off always worked. Well, almost.

The vulpine grinned, accepting her 'forgetfulness.' "Right, right. So, grab anything you think you'll need; we're leaving soon."

Anaiya blinked in confusion. "Now? But it's the middle of the night."

Fox frowned at her, puzzled. "No," he said slowly, "it's morning." He stared. "Were you out here all night?"

Anaiya shrugged, nonplussed. "I guess so."

"I was going to come looking for you, but they all said I should give you time to cool off."

"Smart guys," the vixen grumbled. She stood up, stretching a bit. "Well, whatever. Let's go already."

Fox seemed to be trying to hold back a chuckle. "It's not a formal affair, you know," he commented, staring pointedly at her.

The vixen frowned and looked down. Oh, right. She was still in the dress from last night. "I'll go change," she said primly, spinning on her heel and walking away.

"How're your ribs?" He called after her.

Anaiya waved over her shoulder at him. "Fine, thanks. I heal fast."

"You must heal pretty damn fast, then," he said dubiously.

"Yeah," she called back.

_Let's leave it at that, shall we?_

-

A surprisingly short time later, Anaiya walked briskly out of the _Great Fox_ in her previous blue attire, combat boots clicking on the deck as she came to stand next to the pair of vulpines outside. Gage squinted suspiciously at her. She winked at him, and his eyes narrowed further. The vixen turned her attention to Fox. "So? We going now?"

He nodded. "Yup. Come on." He turned and pulled the door of one of the hovercars open.

Out of the corner of her eye, Anaiya caught Gage shaking his head in disapproval. Evidently, he didn't approve of taking her with them for the briefing. And the funny thing was, he was right. Wasn't it just hilarious when that happens? Probably wouldn't seem that way to him if he found out, but it was to Anaiya. The vixen slipped into shotgun, ignoring Gage's huff of annoyance with a tiny smirk. Fox pulled the vehicle out onto the main road and sped off down the street.

"You should've let me drive," Anaiya commented, staring out the window absently. Her head whipped around at his snort of disbelief.

"Is that a joke?" He asked incredulously. He must have guessed by the way her eyebrows scrunched together to form an offended expression that it wasn't. "Do you remember what happened the last time I let you drive us somewhere?"

Anaiya thought back, frowning. No, actually, she really didn't-

Oh. _That_.

The vixen reddened. How the hell did he still remember that?

She asked as much.

"How could I _possibly_ forget that?"

"What's this?" Gage piped up, interested.

"Nothing," Anaiya interrupted, steering the conversation away. He did _not_ need to hear about this.

Fox grinned impishly at her. "Nothing? Oh, no, nothing much. Probably just the funniest thing that's ever happened in a car for me."

"It wasn't _that_ funny," Anaiya muttered. She could feel her face burning. Why were they talking about this?

"Do tell." Gage smirked at her.

"Well," Fox said grandly, swerving around a slow car, "it was like this: Anaiya and I had gone out for dinner, and she insisted on driving home. She needed the practice, apparently. This was back in the Academy, by the way. She didn't have her license yet," he added with an amused grin at Anaiya. "So, anyway, we were on our way back to the dorms, and this jerk started tailgating her." He looked at Gage for a moment. "You _may_ have already gotten this, but she doesn't like people messing with her. So, when we reached the next light, he pulled up next to us and started saying some pretty, uh, _explicit_ things to her. I think he might have been a bit drunk." The vulpine appeared to be trying to hold back laughter. "Well, Anaiya kinda…lost it. She started yelling some rather graphic things right back. She's got quite a mouth on her, she does. I'm not even going to get into the anatomical impossibilities of some of the things she said."

"He totally deserved it," Anaiya said under her breath. Who cared that the stuff she yelled didn't make sense? Most of the crap that people used to curse didn't anyway.

Fox continued with a chuckle. "Right. So, when the light changed, the jackass yelled one last thing and tried to speed in front of us." He paused for a second. "I believe her exact words were 'Oh no you don't, man-bitch.'" He glanced at Anaiya. "Close?"

The vixen grunted noncommittally. She hadn't _really_ said man-bitch. That had to be the stupidest joining of words ever.

"Yeah, something like that. Guess what she did then?"

"No," Gage said, "just tell me."

Fox snorted. "Okay, fine." He laughed again. "I'm sorry. Anyway, as he was coming up past us, Anaiya slammed on the gas and rammed him. Then backed up and did it twice more."

Gage's expression turned incredulous. "Seriously? You _rammed_ him because of a few insults?"

"I was young," the vixen muttered. This was not an appropriate conversation topic. Really. Totally not a good choice. "I don't see why we have to continue this," she said loudly.

"Oh, but that's not even the best part. You see, after she hit him…"

Anaiya glanced up and pointed at the vehicle in front of them, deciding to maneuver the conversation out of these dangerous waters. "Pass him."

"Why? He's going fast enough."

"No, he's only going 35."

"…The speed limit's 30."

Anaiya thought about it for almost half a second. "So? This road is simple; you can breeze through here at easily 60. Cops never stake it out."

Fox raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? What happens that one time that they do?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Anaiya asked, offended. She tapped her HUD. "This isn't just bells and whistles, you know. It has a _few _useful features."

"You scan for police frequencies with that so you know when you can speed?" Gage snickered in amusement.

"Yeah, pretty much," Anaiya answered shamelessly. "Oh come on," she said impatiently, jabbing her finger forward again, "that was a _perfect _time to pass him! He's friggin' making fun of you, slowing down like that!"

"I, unlike you, am patient," Fox said in a dignified voice, "I can wait. Besides, it's not like Pepper can start without us or anything."

Anaiya stared at him in mock surprise. "_Fox McCloud_, pulling an excuse like that," she teased, "Who'd of thought?"

"You, obviously. You tend to do that."

Anaiya frowned. "I do, don't I?" She said reflectively.

"Yes," Gage answered promptly. Anaiya rolled her eyes and ignored him.

The level of conversation dropped slightly after that. The remainder of the trip consisted of Fox and Gage occasionally firing ideas about what Pepper was going to them back and forth, while Anaiya absently bounced her forehead off the passenger window, blatantly ignoring the strange looks she received from the other two. Speculation was pointless; she sure absolutely sure everything they said was one hundred percent wrong. Besides, in just a little while, they'd know anyway.

This meeting was bound to be interesting. Assuming Pepper didn't die of apoplexy when Fox asked if she could stay. Well, he was trusting one group of mercenaries; what was one more? Somehow, she doubted the general would see it that way.

The vixen snorted, raising Fox's eyebrows. This was just too easy. They _all_ bought it. Every last one of them. Even _Gage_ was going along with it. Well, she _thought _he was. Looking for traps would be a waste of energy; they weren't nearly clever enough to play that game with her. At this point, all she had to do was play along.

And kill Fox.

A small detail.

"Yo."

Anaiya glanced up. Gage was standing outside her window, bemusedly knocking on it.

"We're here. You coming?" That last part sounded suspiciously hopeful, like he was waiting for her to leave.

The vixen grunted, slightly annoyed. "Yeah." To her satisfaction, the vulpine looked a bit disappointed. Anaiya opened the door sharply, narrowly missing Gage with it, who jumped back just in time. She smiled brightly. "Let's get going."

-

Anaiya followed closely behind Gage and Fox like an obedient child. She let them handle all the garbage that had to be done, signing in, yadda yadda. The vixen carefully observed every guard they passed, noting the attentiveness, or lack thereof, of each soldier, how they gripped their weapons, how they watched her little group blankly. Until they realized who they were looking at, that is. Any wariness vanished immediately, and nearly every one of them nodded to either Gage or Fox, the latter most often. She relaxed. They weren't awful, but they weren't anywhere near her level. If, for some extremely strange reason, it came down to it, they'd be no problem to deal with.

Fox stopped outside what the vixen assumed was Pepper's office. He hesitated for a second, glancing backwards at Anaiya. She guessed he was having seconds thoughts, perhaps wondering if the general would object. Anaiya sent him a look that said 'I'm here now, there's nothing you can do about it'. He sighed in acquiescence and nodded, stepping forward to speak to the secretary, who was waiting somewhat impatiently for him. Anaiya couldn't figure out why the woman would be impatient; it wasn't like she had anywhere else to be…

They were admitted after a quick conversation via intercom between the secretary and Pepper. Anaiya followed the pair of vulpines in, drumming her fingers on her leg, feeling rather bored.

General Pepper…looked rather the worse for wear. More bags than usual hung under his eyes, which were horribly bloodshot. His uniform looked slightly rumpled, as if he'd slept in it. He'd certainly taken a turn downhill since Anaiya had last seen him.

Fox spoke up in greeting and the hound dog winced, putting a hand to his head. Anaiya snickered.

_Apparently, the esteemed general had a _bit_ too much to drink last night…_

Yeah, he'd definitely gone downhill. What kind of leader got drunk and came in the next day for an important briefing with a hangover? Seriously.

"Yes, good to see you, Fox," Pepper answered tiredly. He didn't seem to notice that there were two other people in the room, which suited Anaiya perfectly. It would avoid any awkward conversations. The vixen stealthily slipped into the back of the room, shaking her head slightly at Fox's questioning look. "This shouldn't take long; I have another meeting shortly."

Gage, the ever-respectful military man (unless he was talking to Anaiya, of course), kept silent, but the mercenary had no such inhibitions.

"Have a good time last night, General?" Fox asked with a small grin.

Pepper muttered something that no general should ever say on duty, then sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Yes, in fact, I did. This morning is somewhat _less_ fun, however. Let's make this quick." He raised a small remote in one hand and clicked a button. The large monitor on the wall flickered to life, displaying a _very_ familiar silver case. Anaiya's eyes narrowed.

Pepper cleared his throat. "This is the object that was stolen from one of our facilities on Katina. It was a joint project with the Katinan government, and we were ferrying it back and forth between our planets, to ensure security." He frowned. "Obviously, we didn't do a good enough job."

Anaiya resisted the urge to snicker.

"Inside this case is a vial, along with numerous papers detailing various the functions and effects it has."

"What is 'it', exactly?" Fox asked curiously.

Pepper swallowed. "The vial contains a prototype virus, designed to infect and destroy any cells it comes into contact with, rather slowly I might add. It can be transmitted via contact, ingestion, or inhalation. We've yet to have first hand tests, but from the one incident we had, it seems to work faster or slower depending on the individual infected. As of yet, we haven't created an anti-virus. In short, it's for eradicating any kind of life. If you're infected, you'll die, your body breaking down bit by bit, as well as infecting anyone you come near."

This time, Gage didn't keep quiet. "Why the hell were our scientists working on something like _that_?" He demanded, eyes flashing. "What use could we _possibly _have for something so dangerous?"

Fox shouted much the same thing He seemed rather furious, Anaiya noticed.

Anaiya closed her eyes and sighed tiredly. So _that_ was why Raaze wanted it so badly. This thing would be rather good for his twisted little plans. In essence, this virus could wipe out the population of an entire planet if used correctly. And she'd stolen it, and given it to the most dangerous (and, if her suspicions were correct, unstable) beings in the galaxy.

_Nice job, dumbass._

The dog shifted uncomfortably. "We, ah, didn't develop it. Not really."

Anaiya could feel a headache coming on.

Fox frowned, calming down slightly. "What does _that_ mean?"

Pepper looked a bit embarrassed. Anaiya was wondering about a few things at this point. The foremost thing was; how did an idiot like this ever make General? He didn't retain a shred of dignity, and he seemed like a total failure of a leader.

"Well," Pepper said carefully, "One of our black ops teams came across it during a raid on an insurgent base a few months back on Macbeth."

Anaiya dropped her head into her palm. These people were total idiots, no doubt about it. She rubbed her temples.

"So," Fox said slowly, "They stole back the thing you stole from them first?"

Pepper nodded, his face slightly red. Mental retardation must be a requirement of advancing past the rank of captain.

The vulpine blinked. "Um, okay. Continue."

"Right. Well, our people were attempting to synthesize a vaccine for the thing when it was snatched from under our noses. Whoever did it was extremely competent, no doubt about it."

Okay, maybe he wasn't _completely_ dumb. Just mostly.

"Why not just destroy it from the beginning?" Fox asked, his brow furrowed.

"We had no way of knowing if this was the only sample or not," Pepper reminded him, "if we destroyed it, we'd have no defense if someone slipped some of this monstrosity into Corneria, or some other planet. We had to come up with a way to counteract it."

Gage frowned. "So, let me lay this out again. Bear with me. Our forces stumbled across a weapon potentially more threatening than just about anything even _Andross_ ever made, and are working on a counter, for some reason keeping the whole thing to themselves, only to have it stolen back by whoever had it first. Then, instead of telling the people searching for it exactly what's at stake, you mislead them and send them running off all across the galaxy." He shook his head slightly. "I can accept that." His tone and scrunched eyebrows begged to differ. "But why aren't you doing more? Something this risky can't be kept quiet like this. It's too important. If whoever has it now uses it against us, we're going to lose a lot of people, mostly civilians."

Pepper nodded again. "Yes, you're correct. That's part of why I called you here. After today, Lieutenant Reines, along with Commanders Granrel and Katas and their flagships _Harbinger's Wrath _and _Sentinel_, respectively, will be investigating all leads that appear. We will also be diverting significant resources from other projects to aid in this search. Despite the potential panic that may occur if information leaks, we need the manpower."

Anaiya felt a perverse sense of pleasure at all the effort that was being expended to find her. _Three_ capital ships? That was nothing to scoff at. She'd seen the layouts for _Raven's Flight, Harbinger's Wrath, Sentinel,_ and many other ships of Corneria's Navy. They were very impressive vessels. Out of all of them, she liked _Harbinger's Wrath _the best. Granrel had a great eye for constructing ships. She supposed she should be worried, but the vixen shrugged it off. She'd disappear soon enough, and they'd never see her again.

The vixen tuned the three males out as they launched into discussions about how they'd locate 'that damn thief'. None of it was important, despite the fact that it all pertained to her. She ignored the veiled glances Gage threw her way, and Pepper still hadn't seemed to notice her. The General shooed them out a few minutes later, muttering about a meeting with the other commanders. As she passed him, Pepper stared quizzically at the vixen, evidently wondering where the hell she'd popped up from. Anaiya waved cheerily at him as she strode past, again trailing slightly behind Fox and Gage, who were deep in conversation and didn't appear at all apologetic for excluding her.

Whatever. She didn't need their conversation anyway; she could talk to herself just fine.

The vixen grimaced as she realized exactly how childish and rather strange that line sounded. Schizo much?

Anaiya debated the veracity of that statement on the walk back out of the military building. Was she insane? The vixen considered. She'd never actually had a full-fledged conversation with any little voices in her head. Occasionally arguing with one of them didn't make her crazy. Neither did actually listening to them. Everyone had their moments. Granted, hers happened more often than might be considered normal…

Anaiya let her head roll around on her neck.

Shit.

Well, no matter. Even if she was insane, it made no difference. It hadn't affected her yet, so why worry about it now? And what was that annoying noise?

She heard said noise again, and blinked in irritation, looking up. And was _oh so surprised_ to see who was snapping his fingers under her nose.

"What do _you_ want?" She demanded, glaring at Gage.

The vulpine chuckled. "Shotgun's mine," he said, before turning and jumping into the passenger seat. Fox watched him in amusement, shaking his head. Anaiya's eyes narrowed. She was _not_ going to flip out at him over something like this. She _wasn't…_

Anaiya turned slowly and opened the back door of the vehicle, gracefully slipping into the seat, not deigning to fasten her seatbelt. She could take his little taunts; it'd just be that much sweeter when she hit him with some kind of enormous, painful/embarrassing joke. Now, if only she could figure out what joke that would be, exactly…

"So what'd you think of that?" Fox asked, starting the vehicle up.

Anaiya blinked, distracted. "Think of what?"

Fox stared into the mirror at her. "The briefing," he said flatly.

"Oh. Right. I think that Pepper shouldn't have made it past Sergeant. He's totally incompetent."

"Hardly," Fox replied, defending his old friend, "he's just had a rough time."

"That's no excuse for a General," Anaiya pointed out.

"Even so…"

"No, not even so," the vixen said impatiently. "Leaders lead by example; or at least they should. But that's not the point. Pepper's seriously screwed up this little project of his. And, as always," she added with a grin, "Corneria's mistakes are left to Fox McCloud to fix. How does it feel, being the military's errand boy?"

"Oh, shut up," Fox responded good-naturedly.

Anaiya raised her hands defensively. "Hey, hey, chill. I just tells 'em as I sees 'em."

"Anyway," Fox continued, not deigning to respond to her barbs, "back on the original topic."

The vixen's face turned solemn. "I think that this could be a really serious problem if the wrong people get their hands on it. A weapon with that kind of capabilities…" She shook her head. "We'd better find it quick."

Gage nodded. "Yeah. When we find whoever stole it, they'll certainly have some talking to do."

Now would _probably _not be a good time to say exactly who that thief had been.

"It shouldn't take all that long to get a lead," Anaiya said, "with three capital ships scouring the galaxy, _and_ the intelligence division working on it? It'll be a breeze."

Fox made a noise in his throat, apparently unconvinced.

"Finding them is the easy part," the vixen went on, "once the shooting starts, it's over."

"Rather confident, aren't you," Gage asked dryly.

Anaiya rolled her eyes. "Haven't we been through this before?" She pretended to think for a moment. "Yeah, I think we have. Let's not do it again, 'kay?" An idea came to her, and she turned to Fox. "Hey. Call Katt and Bill. Let's go out for lunch."

"We've got to work on this job," the vulpine protested.

Anaiya snorted. "Oh, come on. They won't get a lead _that_ quickly; let's have a bite to eat and…" Her face twisted in a grimace, "…catch up a bit."

"That sounded rather painful," Gage observed. Anaiya flashed him an obscene salute with one finger.

"Bite me."

"Now, now," Fox chided, "play nice, kiddies."

"Isn't that _my_ line?" Anaiya demanded.

"I don't think so."

"Yeah, it is. I said that earlier, didn't I?"

"I still don't think so."

"Yeah," the vixen said, nodding to herself. "I did."

"If you say so," Fox agreed absently, obviously not really paying attention.

Anaiya hmphed and crossed her arms. "Just _do_ it," she said impatiently.

After a moment, Fox relented. "Fine, fine," he said, defeated. Not like he'd protested all that hard anyway. The vulpine flipped open his phone and dialed a number, lifting the device to his ear. Anaiya, having got what she wanted, tuned out the conversations.

Oh, question: _why_ had she done that, again? It'd only been a day or so since Raaze's call; she still had plenty of time to complete her objective. No rush to take Fox out.

And she didn't mean to lunch.

Maybe it was just because she was hungry. Yeah, that was it…

Anaiya snorted. When exactly had she stooped to lying to herself, and almost buying it? Probably about the time she 'enlisted' with Raaze.

Pity.

"…To go?" Fox was looking at her in the mirror; obviously waiting for an answer to the question she'd missed.

Anaiya blinked. "Huh?" came her intelligent reply.

"I said," Fox reiterated, "where do you want to go? For lunch?"

The vixen shrugged. "No idea. Haven't been to this planet in a while, remember. You pick." Only part of that had been a lie. She really didn't know where a good place to eat was, even though she had been to Corneria not a few days ago. Getting decent food wasn't high on her priorities list at that point.

Fox grimaced at her. "You're making me do all the work," he complained, not really meaning it. "I suppose you'll want me to pay as well?"

Anaiya looked affronted. "I'm insulted you'd even suggest making your girl pay for your lunch," she said playfully. Her eyebrows rose thoughtfully. "Maybe we can get Gage to-"

"Forget it" came Gage's flat reply. "You'd clean out my wallet."

"I don't eat _that_ much," Fox said, grinning.

Gage shrugged. "I know, but" he hooked a thumb over his shoulder at Anaiya "I bet she can put a lot away."

The vixen's eyes widened in outrage. "Asshole!" She growled, barely restraining herself from kicking his seat. That would have been _childish._ Anaiya straightened in her seat. "I'll have you know," she said primly, recovering from her mini-explosion, "that I don't eat that much at all. I'd bet a certain macho-full-of-himself captain shovels away significantly more in a day than I do in a week."

Yeah, because _that_ wasn't childish or anything.

"Good comeback."

Anaiya nodded in agreement. "I'd like to think so."

"_Anyway,_" Fox intervened as Gage opened his mouth again, "Bill and Katt will meet us at Caputo's downtown. We're nearly there now, so please try not to kill each other in my car?" He waited as they grumbled, then grinned. "I mean, feel free once we get out, but I just got the upholstery cleaned."

Oh, ha ha. Very droll.

She said as much, and Fox winked at her. "I try."

"Just drive the car," the vixen said grumpily, crossing her arms.

"Aw, don't be bitter. Now, this place has some really good…"

The vulpine continued to yammer on about the food of the place they were going to as Anaiya casually tuned him out. It was rather easy, and she didn't feel _too_ guilty about it. She'd certainly done worse things. Besides, it wasn't like the food was the important part anyway.

It was the opportunity that had just reared its ugly head.

-

"Ah, that was good." Bill leaned back in his seat, patting his stomach. "Been a long time since I've eaten anything this fancy."

Anaiya snorted, absently twirling her steak knife. "This is _hardly_ fancy," she said, slightly amused. They should've seen some of the places she'd been to. Although, the bill had been enough to make her eyes pop out…

Falco, Peppy, and Slippy were off somewhere, more than likely getting the same talking-to as Anaiya's little party had. Although why Pepper hadn't just had them all in at the same time was beyond her.

"When you're used to take-out and anything microwave-able it is."

"Mm," the vixen conceded, inwardly smirking. She hadn't had take-out in _years._ Since she'd left the Academy, actually. They used to get it quite frequently then; probably due to her abysmal cooking skill.

Bill must have picked up on the subliminal message because he rolled his eyes. "Sorry, but not all of us are as rich as you. Some people actually have to _work_ for a living."

Anaiya raised a single eyebrow, offended. "Oh yeah? What makes you think I don't work? Where do you think the 'rich' part comes from? A money tree?"

"Well, what do you do, then?" Bill challenged. "You pretty neatly avoided answering that question last night."

The vixen chose her next words carefully. "I'm…" She searched for the right phrase, then brightened. "…A mercenary. Just like Foxie over here!" She poked said vulpine playfully, who grunted. "Well," she amended, "not _exactly_ like him. He's a problem-solver for good people, I'm more…_open-ended._"

Katt frowned. "What does _that_ mean?"

Anaiya waved her hands awkwardly. "Er…Just that I'm more tolerant of people's differences than he is."

"That tells me even less than you did the first time!"

_Well, this is awkward._

"She means," Gage said flatly, "that she doesn't always take jobs on the bright side of the law."

Katt and Bill each turned a rather hard stare at the vixen, who grimaced. She'd almost forgotten how goodie-goodie they were, being heroes of the Lylat Wars themselves. "Is that true?" Katt asked suspiciously.

Anaiya pursed her lips. "Hn."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Hn" came Anaiya's noncommittal response.

"You're good at those 'it's-an-answer-but-it-doesn't-actually-mean-anything-either-way' noises, aren't you?" Gage observed.

The vixen smirked at him. "Hn."

The vulpine captain snorted and turned back to his food.

"So," Anaiya said breezily, steering the conversation back from a dangerous edge, "anything interesting happen lately?"

Fox spoke up after a second. "Well, one of the major medical corporations, Biotech, is getting sued because-"

The vixen let out a long suffering sigh, flopping dramatically on the table, much to everyone's amusement. "I said _interesting_," she whined, "come on. You can do better than that."

Fox huffed indignantly. "Well, fine then." He paused for a moment, frowning. "Some guy escaped from prison, major convict. He killed a whole bunch of people. Can't remember his name…Serious? Serious Ashen or something."

Anaiya's brow furrowed for a moment and then she let out a bark of laughter. "Oh! I know who you mean! His name's _Grim Asher_." She snorted. "'Serious'?" She dodged quickly as Fox reached out to smack her. "Alright, alright, lay off. Yeah, I know Grim. Me and him go _way_ back."

Everyone stared at her. "You're on first name terms with a murderer?" Katt asked in a low voice.

Anaiya waved a hand dismissively. "Oh yeah, we're, like, best buddies." She glanced up to find them all eyeing her warily. "I'm not insane," she chuckled, "at least, I don't think I am."

"How are you best buddies with a _murderer_?" Katt couldn't seem to get past that little detail. When you looked at it objectively, she was a murderer too. Technically. All those innocent Venomian fighters? Well, maybe not so innocent, but…

The vixen frowned reflectively. "Well, we're not best buddies the way me and you guys are. It's more like…we only try and kill each other when that's the job. I'm sure we'd get along fine outside missions."

Katt blinked, bemused. "So, how many times has this happened, exactly?"

"Hm," Anaiya counted on her left hand, "He's come after me…three times, I believe. Came really close to getting me the last time, actually. I've got a scar from that fight. I've been after him twice. Sent him to that prison, believe it or not. I'm sure he'll show up sooner or later. He always does."

"How can you consider him a friend if he's tried to kill you?" Fox demanded.

Anaiya shrugged. "It's just a job, and he's really not that bad. If you can get past the parts where he's a sociopath, completely deranged, has a very twisted sense of humor, likes to torture people with those big knives of his, he's a great guy. Oh, and the metal limbs."

There was silence for a good five seconds as everyone tried to digest that information.

"You _are_ crazy," Gage informed her over the edge of the magazine he'd produced from nowhere.

The vixen frowned. "That's not very nice."

"It's true."

"Well, maybe, but when you say it like that…"

"So," Fox broke in, shaking his head in confusion, "how exactly did you meet this Asher the first time?"

Anaiya brightened. "Oh, that's a really good story; see, I was hired to…"

She trailed off mid-sentence and squinted, staring over at a different table. The lone occupant looked _really_ familiar…

He turned slightly to look at her, and the vixen's suspicions were confirmed.

_Aw, come_ on…

Captain Rogosh Blacktail grinned at her and raised his glass in toast. He pulled a small phone from somewhere and lifted it to his ear, punching in a short combination of numbers.

Anaiya's HUD whirred and slid into place over her eye.

INCOMING TRANSMISSION.

_Guess who _that_ is?_

Ignoring the expectant looks from her fellow diners, the vixen sat back in her seat and depressed a button on her wrist keypad.

"The hell do _you_ want?" She demanded, not waiting for Rogosh to speak.

He chuckled. "Aw, that's not very nice, is it?"

"And," Anaiya said scornfully, "When has that ever stopped me before? So I reiterate: the hell do you want?"

She saw Rogosh grin confidently. "Well, Boss said you'd be here, and that you might need a bit of help finishing that job he gave you."

The vixen's eyes narrowed slowly; a sure danger sign. Everyone around her table, except for Gage, edged their seats away slightly. "Two things," she said icily, "One: I _never_, _ever_, need _help_ on a job. Two: How the _hell_ did he know I was here? Okay, never mind, three: Why the hell would he send _you_ of all people?"

Rogosh frowned playfully. "Sweetheart, you wound me. It almost sounds like you don't want me here!"

Anaiya ground her teeth. Everything was a joke to him, the stupid asshole.

"Probably 'cause I don't," she said airily, waving a hand at Fox, who was staring at her with a questioning look on his face. He frowned, confused. Evidently, a hand wave wasn't sufficient for her to convey what she wanted. Oh well.

"Well, I'm here, so I guess you'll just have to deal with it, won't you?"

"Unless I kill you, that is," Anaiya replied, drawing a number of startled looks from around the table.

The infuriating lupine chuckled. "Oh, Anaiya, poor girl. You really are slipping, aren't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Take a look around, why don't you," Rogosh invited her.

Taking his advice, Anaiya glanced around the building. Nothing out of the ordinary, to the casual observer, just…

_Shit._

She could have slapped herself. Rogosh's cronies were poorly hidden; galactic thugs didn't blend in well with city folk. The clothes were fine, but their stances and poorly concealed (to the trained eye, that is) weapons were a dead giveaway. How could she have missed something so obvious?

"Don't worry," came Rogosh's voice again, "they're not here for you. This time. They're back up. Let's move this along, shall we? I have a rather pressing engagement soon."

Well, that made up her mind, then. No doubts now.

"Don't give me orders," she snapped, and terminated the connection.

She stood up suddenly, raising a hand to stem the questions that poured from everyone. "I've got to go take care of something," she said calmly, "I'll be back in a bit. Don't wait for me; I'll meet you back at the ship if it takes a while." The vixen pushed in her chair and strolled around the table, taking the long way so she passed Gage. "Keep your eyes open," she muttered.

He nodded slightly, his eyes flickering around the room over the edge of his magazine. Good that he didn't question _what_ to look for. One of the few pluses of having soldiers; they did as they were told. No explanations were needed. Now, all she had to do was find a good vantage point.

Then just the small detail of killing Fox.

The vixen felt sick. And hated herself for it.

_It wasn't supposed to happen like this,_ she raged silently at herself. She had cut herself off from _everything_, had purposefully hardened herself to prevent this very thing! This shouldn't be affecting her at _all_, let alone this badly.

Anaiya barely noticed as one of Rogosh's thugs approached her outside the building, handing her a keycard to the large office complex across the road. The vixen mindlessly accepted the object, walking slowly over to the car and popping the rear hatch. Inside its black case lay Vengeance. She didn't think she'd ever been unhappier to see the weapon.

It seemed to take no time at all to enter the office building, travel up a dozen or so floors via elevator, step off onto an under-construction level, locate an empty room overlooking Caputo's, and sit down. Anaiya was lost in thought the entire time. If she were anyone else, she'd have been biting her lip in anxiety by now.

_It's him or me._

She didn't have a choice. If she didn't kill Fox, then Raaze would find someone else to do it anyway, and her life was forfeit.

With methodical slowness, Anaiya unsnapped the locks on her rifle's case.

_Him or me._

She pushed back the lid, exposing the gleaming weapon beneath.

_Him or me._

The vixen lifted Vengeance and pressed a small button on the battery. The rifle clicked and whirred. A green light blinked once.

_Him or me._

Fortunately, this floor merely had a holographic stand-in in place of a window for now. That would make it much easier, if someone happened to be looking up at the exact window on this exact floor for the split second it would take for the hologram to flicker on and off while the round passed through it. Anaiya activated the large scope residing on top of her weapon, watching dispassionately as the viewscreen synced with her HUD.

_Him or me._

The vixen lifted Vengeance to her shoulder, bracing her elbows against her knees. She sighted down the barrel, making sure it was in line as she always did, despite the fact that she could merely glance at her HUD's view to see.

She had to sigh. How unfortunate was it for Fox that he chose a restaurant with a mostly glass roof? Anaiya could see right down to the spot she'd been not five minutes previously. Everyone else was still seated, talking animatedly.

The vixen's eyes narrowed. Someone else was there; a raccoon in a lab coat, of all things, was whispering hurriedly to Fox and Gage, pressing forward a rather familiar looking laptop.

_The_ laptop, actually. The one she'd recovered from Raaze's base. It apparently hadn't taken them all that long to decrypt it. Fox was pouring over it excitedly, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

Suddenly, his movements slowed, and the vulpine's expression twisted into a frown. Evidently, he'd found something interesting. It was now or never.

Vengeance's grip creaked as Anaiya's fist clenched around it. Sweat beaded on her upper lip.

_Him or me._

No choice. She didn't have a choice.

The vixen swallowed as she stared down the scope at Fox's curious, oh so innocent face. The entire rifle trembled.

She couldn't do it; she just couldn't. She couldn't shoot-

_Are you willing to die for him, then?_

Anaiya closed her eyes in anguish for a moment. What was it to be, then?

Her eyes opened slowly.

She made her choice.

Anaiya squeezed the trigger.

-

Well, it's nothing extraordinary, but I'd like to think it was better than the last chapter. Angsting or whatever you want to call it is not something I'm terribly skilled at writing. Fortunately, that's the last of the tough spot. It should go much quicker now that the hard(er) stuff is out of the way. And, somehow, between uploading this from Word to this site, I gained 800 words... Not quite sure how that happened. I'm wondering if it's just a mistake in counting, because when I read it again quickly, I didn't notice anything glaringly obvious that had popped up. Oh well.

So, who thought I killed Fox right near the beginning? That was rather fun to write, in a twisted sort of way. And Caputo's was just a spur of the moment choice for a restaurant name. There's a pizza place around the corner from me called that. BEST pizza I've ever had. No joke. And the ending… Cliffhangers are so nice, aren't they? I promise it won't be two months before I update this again, though.


	8. Chapter Seven: Unreliable Backup

Chapter seven. Updated faster than chapter six, wasn't it? I do try. Sometimes. I've tried to stay as in-character as I can for Fox, but he comes off as really naïve in the games and such, and it's not really working for me. So he's probably not going to be quite as much of a trusting idiot anymore. XD. And there's going to be an increase in the language from now on. Introduction of a rather foul-mouthed individual happens now. I really have nothing else to jabber about, so let's just get on with this. Ugh, I'm running out of good quotes to use…

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya and her team (which haven't actually showed up yet) are mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. No using them without permission, got it?

-

Chapter Seven: Unreliable Backup

-One friend in a lifetime is much; two are many; three are hardly possible.

Henry Brooks Adams

Fox watched in confusion as Anaiya stormed out of the diner, a scowl firmly plastered on her face. Something was obviously wrong. Evidently, he wasn't the only one who thought so, as Bill spoke up a moment later.

"Um, what's the deal with that?" the husky asked, his brow furrowed.

Katt shook her head. "I have no idea."

"Should we go after her?"

"I wouldn't, if you want to stay in one piece." Gage entered the conversation smoothly, sipping from his glass of apple juice. "She's more pissy than usual right now. She can handle herself pretty well, I'd guess. Don't worry." He muttered something under his breath that Fox didn't quite catch.

"What was that?"

Gage glanced at him and shook his head. "Nothing."

Yeah, right.

"Okay then," Fix said, frowning. His eyes fell on the drink in Gage's hand and he grinned. Didn't _that_ bring up memories?

"I thought you were partial to the boxes?" He teased.

Gage shrugged. "They didn't have any. Should've seen the look on the waitress's face when I asked."

Fox snorted. "I can imagine."

"Mister McCloud! _Mister McCloud!_"

Fox twisted around in his seat to see a familiar looking raccoon making his not-so careful way across the room towards them, bumping repeatedly into numerous tables as he did. Angry words came from all the disturbed patrons except for one; a gray-furred wolf with an, oddly enough, black tail, who merely watching the raccoon pass with an expression of interest. Nice guy, not to say anything while the raccoon had just overturned his drink with a particularly violent knock into the table.

"Mister McCloud!" The raccoon whose name Fox, for the life of him, couldn't recall was breathing heavily like he'd just run a mile. "I got it! _I_ decrypted it!"

Fox stared bemusedly at him. "I heard you the first two times," he said dryly, "decrypted what?"

"That computer you brought back," the gasping raccoon explained excitedly, twitching his lab coat, "I broke the encryption!"

He withdrew the black laptop from within his coat with a flourish and set it down in front of Fox. "I brought it over as soon as I finished."

"Er," Fox said slowly, scratching his head awkwardly and pulling the computer closer, "Thanks?"

The tech bobbed his head excitedly. Fox nodded, slightly amused, and opened the laptop.

The screen was blank, except for a tiny block that blinked slowly in the top corner. Tentatively, Fox tapped a key. Words began to scroll across, and the vulpine's eyes narrowed.

_Well done, Fox McCloud._

_How clever of you to have the presence of mind to take a computer out of an exploding space station with you. Bravo. As a reward, I've left a few files on here you might find interesting. Of course, if that bumbling general of yours has spilled his guts already, much of this will be old news. Oh, and I forgot to mention; this system has a decay virus built into the hard drive. You have approximately three minutes from the activation of this message before all data on this machine is lost. And the access ports have also been disabled; so no copying the drive. Happy reading. I look forward to the next step of our game._

_Until next time._

Fox puffed his cheeks and blew out slowly.

_This guy is starting to annoy me._ _Better get reading._

Nodding to himself, Fox began pulling up the few documents on the device, trying to ignore the tech hovering around him as he skimmed through them.

As the mystery man had said, the majority of the little data left was old news; biological readouts on the virus, the kind of stuff he'd never be able to memorize, so he skipped over it. One particular piece caught his eye, however. It seemed to be an email, from whom, he had no idea, but that wasn't important. The vulpine activated the file, and a window appeared on screen:

_Subject: Blackhawk_

_From: ? (system IP corrupt//insufficient data//)_

_To: ? (Error: missing data//check system stability//)_

_Operation 'Blackhawk' has been put back on schedule, due to the prompt recovery of Project 'Ragnarok's' sample by our agent. Once we succeed in replicating the sample and synthesizing a proper vaccine, we can-_

Whatever it said after that was lost to Fox as the laptop exploded in a dazzling shower of sparks and flying parts. At first, he thought that was the decay virus or whatever it was called, until Gage shoved him down, shouting something about being 'under fire' and drawing a pistol from under his jacket. After that, the lasers began whizzing everywhere, and all hell broke loose.

-

Anaiya released her rifle, slumping backward as she exhaled violently. Her fur was matted with sweat, and she trembled slightly.

_It's done._ It _was_ done. _Alea iacta est_, and all. Her choice was made; now she had to live with it.

Or, rather, not.

The sudden eruption of gunfire jerked her from her reverie. Startled, the vixen straightened up to look out the window.

"Aw, come on," she complained to no one in particular, "already?"

Sometimes, Rogosh really annoyed her. No, _usually_ Rogosh really annoyed her. Anaiya sighed and brought Vengeance back up, taking aim at what she assumed was a Black Viper's head. Stupid thugs all looked the same. She sighed again.

No rest for the wicked, after all.

Vengeance's battery flickered green, and the vixen fired.

Her target died instantly, the high-powered laser burning a hole clean through his skull. Like always. Anaiya swiveled her rifle calmly onto the next target and blew him away as well. Fox and co. were pinned down in the center of the place, sheltering behind a couple of overturned tables. The (real) civilians stuck inside were cowering under their tables or in corners, screaming their heads off. It was quite amusing to watch, really. Maybe she should pump a round or two into a wall near them, just to see what would happen. Anaiya sighed. Unfortunately, there wasn't really time for that. She moved on to the next gangster-style wolf wielding a neat little compact SMG with a laser sight and unnecessarily long battery clip. Despite how cool his gun was, he died as quickly as the pervious, the cauterized hole in his neck glowing an interesting orange. She'd have to remember where exactly he fell; she could always use more guns…

_Oh, look who it is!_

Anaiya grinned gleefully. Rogosh was attempting to hide underneath a table, blind-firing with the pistol in his left hand. The vixen shifted her aim and fired, just missing the lupine's head. On purpose, of course. Anaiya did not _miss_ by accident. Everybody knew that.

Evidently, Rogosh was part of everyone, because he turned to stare up at her camping spot, folding his arms with a look of reproof. He knew she'd missed on purpose, and also knew that if she really wanted him dead, he had no chance of escaping.

"That's right," the vixen murmured out loud, "I gotcha."

But Rogosh was just too much fun to kill. Sometimes he made her just want to kill him, most of the time actually, but there was too much history between them for her to off the lupine captain over something so small as an ambush like this. It was nothing special.

So Anaiya shot him in the shoulder instead. Painful, yes, and highly amusing to watch as they flopped around, but not mortal. And again, he knew exactly what she was doing; for he shot a rather venomous glare her way as he stood up from the spot he'd collapsed in pain on before shouting something and limping hurriedly to the door, free hand pressed to his injured shoulder. Anaiya let him and his other goons go, smiling in satisfaction.

Incoming trouble. The vixen's mouth tightened in irritation as her currently least favorite vulpine stood slowly, sweeping the restaurant with his pistol raised. Gage was so _troublesome._ Now she had to get back down there and come up with a good reason for leaving at exactly the same time the group got ambushed.

Ugh.

With a resigned sigh, Anaiya picked herself up, slinging her rifle and striding to the elevator, face scrunched in thought. She could always use the 'no idea what happened, I'm as confused as you are', but she doubted that would fly with any of them right now. They probably didn't trust her much now. Not that she blamed them.

A thought came to her, and she nodded briskly. That should work fine. Now all she had to do was watch out for any lingering baddies stumbling around the streets. The vixen's right hand dropped to her holstered pistol. Just in case.

-

Fox could tell Gage was pissed by the way his eyebrows met in the center of his forehead and the sharp set of his jaw. The wavering steam rising from the barrel of his pistol added to his ominous image. Oh no, Dagger's captain was not happy at all.

"Now," Gage said tightly, ejecting the clip on his pistol, "I assume there was a reason for that and I'm just missing it, right? Shit like that does not just _happen._ I want to know _why_ it did.." He growled. "And where the hell is your girlfriend? Mighty convenient of her to disappear right before they showed up, wasn't it?"

As much as he wanted to trust Anaiya, Fox had to admit; it was awfully suspicious. He and Gage had talked after she'd gone storming out the previous night, and Dagger's captain had brought up some disturbing points, all of which, to Fox's displeasure, made sense. It was time for some answers.

"Everyone okay?"

Fox glanced around. Everyone seemed to be fine. Bill and Katt looked a little shaken, and the tech looked like he was about to piss himself, but no one was physically hurt. Good.

"Maybe we should meet on Zoness next time," Katt said breathlessly, one hand pressed to her chest, "I've never gotten shot at there."

Bill wasn't happy either. "Is there something you guys aren't telling us? 'Cause, to the best of my knowledge, thugs don't just randomly jump out and attack people, even celebs like you, Fox." He stared suspiciously at them.

Fox opened his mouth, trying to come up with a good excuse, but was saved the trouble by the whining hiss of new laserfire springing up outside the restaurant. The terrified civilians, who had just begun to creep out of their hiding places, all let out a weird cross between a yelp and a scream in unison, quickly retreating. Well, the police should be here soon; the uniforms could take care of them. But right now, it was more important find out who was shooting, and put an end to it before any bystanders were injured. After a curt nod from Gage, the pair of vulpines rushed out the door.

The sight that greeted them was unexpected but, in retrospect, it shouldn't have been. Anaiya danced around in the street, swaying and weaving to dodge incoming lasers, her pistol blazing nonstop. It was almost beautiful to watch. The vixen seemed to disdain cover, instead spinning around each glowing beam of death with incredible reflexes. The speed with which she reacted was unreal; Fox couldn't tell if was anticipating each laser, or just dodging randomly. Whatever the case, it was working brilliantly, and her return shots were far more accurate than the incoming ones. Of course, strafing one-handed while jumping around, there was no way she was going to hit every time. One of her shots lanced into the wall next to a rather nervous looking rodent, startling him badly enough to make him lose his tenuous grip on his blaster. It tumbled to the ground, and as he bent to retrieve it, Anaiya drew and hurled a knife. The poor guy stood right up into it, taking the blade in the gut and promptly folding over it, the gun falling again as he howled in agony. Anaiya didn't have time to savor her victory, however, as another barrage of laserfire forced her to perform a neat series of acrobatics to dodge.

Fox shook himself out of his trance and reached over to shake Gage as well, only to see his friend already firing. With a small shrug, Fox drew his own weapon and opened up. His and Gage's assault, while pitiful compared to Anaiya's high-speed flood of shots, nonetheless turned the tide. The few remaining combatants quickly either died or turned tail and ran, with one notable exception. A lithe, well-built weasel dove from behind one of the pockmarked cars towards Anaiya, a ridiculously long knife leading him in. The vixen herself, for a reason Fox didn't quite understand, chose to drop her _gun_ and draw a knife instead. The two began to _duel_, in the middle (well, tail-end) of a gunfight! The sneaky little bastard kept moving around, keeping Anaiya between himself and the two vulpines trying to blow his brains out. Anaiya, to Fox's irritation, seemed perfectly fine with that arrangement, even moving of her own initiative to block their angles out. It was really annoying. The frustrating woman was obviously having a blast, if the excited grin on her face was anything to judge.

The fight was too fast-paced for Fox to clearly follow. One instant they would be locked at the hilt at head-level, the next they'd have struck twice and still had time to spin away before closing the distance again. Obviously pros, even he could see that. He'd never imagined Anaiya was this competent. Sure, she'd wiped the floor with him and Gage (well, not Gage quite so badly as Fox), but really…

The fight came to an abrupt end, as Anaiya apparently grew bored. With a sudden burst of speed, the vixen lashed out with her foot, knocking the weasel's hand wide, where her knife promptly gashed him. She must have severed the tendons, for his blade dropped from a trembling, open, fist. Anaiya spun inside his guard, ramming her knife into his upper arm, then casually, facing away from her stricken opponent, leaned back and placed her hand over his face. There was an obscene squishing noise as _another_ blade emerged from the vixen's _sleeve_, burying itself deep in the weasel's eye.

The poor guy hadn't even had time to scream.

The corpse quivered, remaining eye wide with horror, unable to fall skewered as it was. Anaiya, evidently unaffected by the gruesome execution she'd just performed, stepped forward, her wrist blade popping free of the dead weasel. The corpse swayed for a moment, the dropped to the ground. Anaiya wiped her blade on her ex-opponent's vest.

"He wasn't bad," she remarked offhandedly, retracting the wrist blade. "A little slow, and a few of his attacks left him wide open, but not awful." She shrugged carelessly. "Shame."

Gage stared at her in slight disgust and shook his head. Fox's eyes were bugging out. "What was that for?" He demanded.

The vixen raised an eyebrow questioningly at him. "What was what for?"

"_That!"_ Fox exclaimed, pointing at the corpse. "That was _way_ excessive! Why didn't you just, I dunno, shoot him, or something? That was just _vulgar_!"

Anaiya grinned slightly and held up a finger. She reached down and unzipped the slain weasel's vest, revealing a small black wallet strapped to the inside flap of the jacket. The vixen frowned, slightly disappointed. "Aw. I thought it was a bomb. That's why I didn't _just shoot him, or something_." She wiggled her eyebrows at Fox. "Get it?"

Fox frowned. "Wait. So how did you even see that in the first place? And why'd you assume it was a bomb?"

Anaiya's lips twitched. "Well, I saw a lump there right at the beginning. Unless he was actually a she missing half her _gear_, if you catch my drift, it was something on the inside of the vest. As for why I assumed it was a bomb…" Her expression turned thoughtful. "Blame my suspicious nature, if you want. Or don't. Whatever works. Besides," she leaned forward conspiratorially, even though she still had to speak at a normal volume for them to hear her, "most of it was just a show for that guy." She pointed casually behind her to a car riddled with bullet holes. A scrawny head could just barely be seen poking over the edge. Whoever was spying on them immediately squealed and scampered backwards out of sight, light footsteps vanishing a moment later.

Gage looked mildly impressed. "How'd you know he was there?"

Anaiya smirked. "He kept on squeaking while we were fighting." Her gaze moved to a point somewhere behind the pair of vulpines. "Oh, there you are."

Katt and Bill emerged warily from the restaurant, the tech, whose name Fox still didn't know, creeping along timidly behind them.

"Yeah," Katt said dryly, "we're fine, thanks for asking."

Anaiya scoffed. "Oh, don't take that tone with me," she said playfully, "If you weren't fine, you wouldn't be walking normally." She winked. "See? I'm observant. Never let it be said I don't look after my friends."

"You mean like how you pretended you were dead for ten years," Bill reminded her.

Anaiya grimaced. "…Ugh. Never gonna live that down, huh?"

"Nope."

"_Anyway_," Fox cut in sharply, "let's finish this up in the car. The cops are on their way; they'll clean up, and Gage'll let 'em know what happened." Said vulpine nodded an affirmative. He glanced around for the tech, intending to offer him a ride, but the raccoon was nowhere to be found. "Besides, we've got slightly more important things to talk about right now."

"Yeah." Gage took over smoothly as they stepped to the car. "Like, for instance, what those guys were doing here?"

"Oh, yeah, that," Anaiya scratched the back of her head sheepishly as Fox pulled the car into the road, "Yeah, that was pretty much my fault."

Everyone stared at her.

"And…?"

"And what?"

"That's my question."

"…Huh?"

"Explain why!"

"Why it's my fault?"

"Yeah."

"No reason."

"…What."

"No reason. It just is."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"I dunno. What do you think it means?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked you!"

"There's gotta be more to it that just that."

"Why?"

"'Cause people don't just start gunfights in the street for no reason!"

"Says who?"

"Says common sense!"

"Psh, What does he know?"

"…Not going to comment on that."

"You just did."

"You're incredibly annoying, you know?"

"I try."

"_Why did those people just start shooting at us?_"

"Oh! Is that what you wanted to know? Why didn't you just say so?"

"…Just. Tell. Us."

"Aight, stay calm here." Anaiya let out what sounded suspiciously like a giggle, staring in amusement at their faces. Fox imagined they look rather annoyed. "When I left earlier, I was meeting a broker of mine. He had a deal I'd been waiting on for a long time. There was a hitch though; he had the seller there with him." She stared at them significantly. Fox guessed that was supposed to mean something. "You guys don't get it."

There was a unanimous silent chorus of shaking heads.

"…Never mind. Anyway, the seller was there. Bad. In this case, at least. He's the kind of guy that's used to things always going his way." She grinned at them. "Well, you know me. I don't play by other people's rules."

"Ain't that the truth," Fox muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Continue."

"Right. So yeah, he'd upped the price without telling me, and still expecting me to pay. I was going to, believe it or not, but then I looked it over and realized it was fake. Totally bogus. I was like, _hell no!_ He got pissed. The guys he'd set up to ensure the deal went right got a bit antsy, and then I kinda insulted their boss, and he told them to open up."

"So," Fox asked, "why did _we_ get shot at?"

Anaiya bobbed her head slightly. "Right. He'd said that unless I paid up, he was gonna take you guys out."

Gage raised an eyebrow. "…And so you didn't pay anyway."

She shrugged. "I told him he was a total dumbass if he thought his guys could take you all. That's what set him off."

"Glad to know you have such confidence in us," Gage said sourly.

Anaiya winked at him. "Not really. His goons just totally sucked. I'd never have stood out there and danced around like I did if they could actually shoot. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"That's up for debate," Gage informed her.

"I resent that!"

"I'll sleep better knowing that."

Fox intervened before the conversation degenerated into something nasty. "Okay, now that that's sorted out-"

Gage snorted. "Yeah, right. _I just felt like turning the street into a firefight, judge. Couldn't help myself._ That's a pretty awful reason, don't you think?"

The temperature of the surrounding air dropped a few degrees.

"Since you asked so nicely," Anaiya said coolly, "I'll tell you what I was going to buy. You might be surprised what will turn up for the right price."

"Doubt it."

"…Anyway, I was going to get some info on this virus we're after. There's loose ends in every operation; you just need to know where to look."

"And you couldn't have let us know you were doing this?"

"…It wasn't exactly the most, uh, _legal_, venue around, get it?"

"I get it."

"Good. Anyway, I didn't want any of you to sully your perfectly legal hands-"

"Or you just didn't want us to know who your broker was."

"Stop interrupting me! _Anyway_, I did it myself. Just deal with it. Also, besides that hunk o' info I was going for just now, I've managed to acquire a few other tidbits you might be interested in."

"Oh? Do tell."

Anaiya smirked. "Oh, _now_ you're interested, huh? Figures." She rather blatantly ignored the irritated looks she received from the other passengers. "Well, I _guess_ I can tell you." The vixen stretched languidly, drawing out the silence as long as possible, simultaneously heightening everyone's annoyance. Anaiya suddenly became aware of the level of anger in the car and leapt into her explanation. "Right, right. So, the whole thing's run by some guy named Raaze. Real badass guy, no inhibitions; do-whatever-it-takes kinda character, y'know?"

"You know him?" Gage asked suspiciously.

"We've met." Her face tightened for an instant, almost imperceptibly, but Fox caught it. He suspected Gage did as well, even if the vulpine captain didn't let on. "He was an old officer in Andross's army, top ranking and everything. I don't have much else on him. There's nothing else listed."

"I'll look him up in the database when we get back," Gage said thoughtfully.

Fox suddenly noticed the weird little HUD-thing she always wore was currently covering her eye, probably feeding her the information she was reading them.

"So," Anaiya continued, "I have no idea what exactly he's planning to do with a bioweapon like that, but you can bet its bad news. Probably some kind of terrorism. There was a fragmented file I managed to recover, almost totally unreadable, but it said 'Black-something', and it was related to this virus."

It clicked.

"Hawk," Fox said suddenly, "Blackhawk."

Anaiya's head swung around so fast he heard her neck crack. Her eyes were wide. "Where did you hear that?" She demanded.

Fox ignored her and turned to Gage. "The computer," he said urgently. "There was a message on it, the guy, Raaze, apparently, just being a dick, but there were a few other files on it."

"What computer?" Anaiya interrupted.

Fox ignored her again. "One was a letter. It said something about 'Operation: Blackhawk' being back on schedule because they had that virus back, or something like that. It's a part of 'Project: Ragnarok', apparently. They're only waiting for an anti-virus, probably for their own people, to be finished before they start up Blackhawk."

Gage's eyes widened. "We forgot it there!"

Fox shook his head. "Don't bother trying to go back for it. He said something about there being a 'decay virus', or something, on the drive. So even if that laser didn't fry it, the virus would."

Gage's lips twitched in disappointment.

"What are you talking about," Anaiya asked in an uncharacteristically whiny voice.

"So let me piece it together," Fox continued, blinking as the _Great Fox _came into view. He hadn't realized they were there already. "Raaze is the guy behind all this. No idea who he is, but now we've got a name. He is, for whatever reason, developed this virus to, well, kill people on a massive scale. In all likelihood, that was his station that got blown up. He's now playing mind games with us because he thinks he's already won. Once his research teams perfect a vaccine, we lose."

In the dead silence that followed, Anaiya huffed in irritation. "Well, that's no good. Guess we'll have to pick up the pace a bit, yeah?"

"And how do you propose we do that?" Gage snapped.

Anaiya smirked at him. "Well, this guy is no joke. If we go up against him, we're gonna need some more firepower. I'm going to call in a few…_friends_. My A-team."

Gage stared at her suspiciously. "You sure you're not just doing it because I have Dagger and you're jealous?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Yeah, pretty sure."

"Hold on a sec," Fox said, rather confused, "who're you talking about? Who are you planning on inviting over?"

"Most of them aren't _friends_, per se," Anaiya admitted, "but they owe me some favors. Don't worry about it."

"You can trust them, right?"

The vixen stared at him for a second, then burst out laughing. "Can I _trust_ them? Are you serious?"

"Alright, alright," Fox grumbled, "sorry for doubting your friends."

"_Of course_ I _can't_ trust them! What do you think this is, girl scouts?"

Fox nearly crashed into the wall he was so surprised. "W-what?" He stuttered, "why are you bringing them in to it then?!"

The vixen face palmed. "I forget sometimes. You're the super naïve kind of mercenary. Right." She continued in a patronizingly patient tone. "Well, I can't trust them at all. But I can trust that they owe me favors, and they'll hold to that. I'll only have to worry once they return the favor. Then it's back to square one, and I'll need to break out my wallet to keep them with us." Anaiya gave him the puppy-dog eyes that looked entirely out of place on her.

Fox sighed and rubbed his eyes. Only barely midday and he could tell it was going to be a long one. "You know what? Whatever. Go bring them in. Have a blast. You're responsible for them though."

The vixen grinned in triumph and leapt out of the vehicle, already heading off somewhere. Gage followed after her after a quick nod to Fox, who sighed again and dropped his head on the dashboard. Katt patted his shoulder in a commiserating gesture, and Bill just grinned at him.

"She's still a handful, isn't she?" The big husky said.

Fox chuckled. "Oh, yeah."

"Listen," Bill said, becoming serious, "if this thing is gonna get as big as you think, I've gotta get back to Katina. There's no telling when they'll need me, and I want to be prepared. We'll have a whole big reunion party after this blows over. Alright?"

Fox nodded. "Okay. Good to see you again, man. Take care." They shook hands, and that was that. Bill strode out of the hangar. Katt approached him next. The feline smiled distantly, obviously thinking about something.

"I still can't really believe it," she said absently, staring off into the distance. "It's just weird, you know?"

Fox snorted. "Yeah, I get it. Remember, I'm still getting over it too, and I've been around her longer."

Katt nodded. "But I think I'm going to head out as well. Bill's right; I should get back to Zoness. But like he said, after this is done, we've got to get back together, okay?"

"Definitely."

"Okay then. I'm just going to see Anaiya again, and then I'm leaving. Keep in touch, okay?"

"Same for you," Fox said with another nod. Katt waved and turned around, striding off in the direction Anaiya and Gage had disappeared to.

The vulpine sighed. He still had to contact Pepper and explain the little incident downtown. So much to do, so little time…

-

Anaiya stood on the bridge of the _Great Fox_, Gage leaning against the wall and watching her fiddle around with the various instruments. There had been way too many close calls today. She'd barely gotten Vengeance hidden back in the trunk of the car before they showed up, she'd totally pulled that story out of her ass. Funny how she had just happened to guess the right color for whatever project Raaze was working on. Although, it shouldn't have been all that hard to guess. It was probably his favorite color.

"You know," Gage remarked eventually, "that call didn't really sound like you were setting up a meeting with a broker, in my opinion."

"Well, it was," Anaiya replied absently, flicking a switch, "and I didn't ask for your opinion anyway." The holographic screen in front of her switched on, and she grinned. "Ah! There we go. Now…"

_Who to call first?_

The vixen had already decided the three she wanted with her. There were all very, very good, but…

There was going to be a bit of a personality clash. Well, nothing always went perfectly, right?

She turned to Gage. "I'm going to need you to stand there quietly, yeah? One of the people I'm gonna call will probably recognize you, and he might get a little irritated that I've got Dagger with me. Dig?"

Gage smirked. "Yeah, I dig."

The vixen nodded. "Okay, cool. Now…"

She punched a number into the bridge's control panel.

_8-7-3-9-4-6-1-8-4-9-3-8-3-6-5…_

There was a whirring sound, then the message 'CONNECTING; PLEASE WAIT' appeared on the screen. Anaiya _please waited_ impatiently, drumming her fingers on the controls.

After almost ten seconds, Anaiya was about ready to cut the call and try again later when the words switched to CONNECTED, then faded. The view that replaced it was not what she had been expecting.

Lasers arced everywhere, and the view jerked and bounced wildly as whoever was holding/wearing the recorder dodged and jumped all over the place. There were black-clad people of different species scattered all over, all with weapons and all firing. A white-furred hand clutching a rather large shotgun appeared on the screen and blasted the nearest opponent, lasers ripping a huge chunk out of his head. Someone cackled, and Gage's eyebrows shot upward. Anaiya just sighed.

"Yeah, bitch!" the same person, a woman, shouted, practically giggling, "how the hell did you like _that_!"

Same old Ayame.

"Ayame," Anaiya said in amusement, "you know your COM is on?"

"Huh?" Ayame said intelligently, pausing for a second, "oh! Heya, Anaiya! What's new with you, you big-"

"Yo," Anaiya said hurriedly, cutting her off, "you could have just called me after you finished with that, you know."

There was another shotgun blast and more giggles from the white-furred lupine. "Well, I didn't even know you called me! But it doesn't matter; I can take them bitches while talkin' to you. They don't know who they're screwin' with, yeah!"

Gage could already tell she was a total lunatic, judging by the wary expression on his face. Anaiya suppressed the urge to chuckle.

"Okay," the vixen said, "but I've got a favor to call in. You listening?"

Another barrage of gunfire. "Talk your damn lips off! This is the last goddamn favor though, right? After this I'm all paid off, yeah?"

"Um, yeah, I think so. Anyway, I need your help with something. Get over to Corneria. I'll explain the rest when you get here."

"Aight! I can do tha-hey!" A double pair of shotgun discharges sounded. "Ha HA, thought you could sneak by me, yeah! Dumb bitch, I'ma gonna _kill_ you!"

"Right, right," Anaiya said, grinning slightly. This girl never changed. "I'll see you soon, then?"

"Hellz yeah! After I wreck these bitches, I'll get right the fuck over! Cha! HEY! Don't you run away from me, you little-"

Anaiya cut the connection, chuckling. Gage was staring weirdly at her.

"That woman is totally insane, you know," he said warily.

"Oh, yeah, I know," Anaiya informed him casually, "but she can control herself when she has to. Usually," the vixen amended herself. "don't worry, it'll be fine."

"Forgive me for being skeptical…"

Anaiya ignored him and accessed her HUD, searching for the next number.

"Now," she muttered to herself, "let's see…"

Who next? Oh, I know…

_8-3-6-1-7-4-3-4-7-9-2-6-4-9-7…_

CONNECTING. PLEASE WAIT.

The vixen drummed her fingers again.

CONNECTED.

Oh, much quicker. Cool.

The visage of a male wolverine filled the screen. He was old and grizzled; much of his fur was graying. A long, jagged scar traced from above his left eye clean through his closed right eye down to his jaw line. A scowl was plastered on his face, but he quickly brightened as he saw who it was that was contacting him. "Anaiya! Long time no see!"

The vixen smiled. "Hey, Scar. Been a while, hasn't it?"

"That it has! How've you been?" Scar's voice was as rough as his face, like someone had run a cheese grater over his vocal chords.

Or something to that effect.

"Oh, you know," Anaiya replied casually, "the usual stuff. Boring missions, disgustingly easy fights, etc. You?"

"I've been good. Ah, I'm going to retire soon, did I tell you that? Yeah, I'm getting too old for all this. Damn kids won't leave me alone for being so old."

Anaiya chuckled. "I can imagine. Well, congratulations on retirement, but I've got one last favor to ask before you do that."

The old wolverine groaned and shook his head. "Oh, not one of _these_ again…"

The vixen looked affronted. "Oh, please. When have I ever put you in more danger than you're used to?"

"Just about every time you ask for one of these favors," Scar informed her dryly.

"Oh, psh," Anaiya pouted. "Please?" She hated the look, but it usually worked…

"That doesn't work on me, you know."

Or not.

She sighed. "Yeah, I guess. Begging's not really my thing anyway."

"Yeah, I know." Scar chuckled.

Anaiya turned serious. "But listen, this is important. I need you for this. Can you make it to Corneria tomorrow? I swear, this is the last thing I'll ask of you. I'll even pitch in for your retirement fund. Sound good?"

Scar stared at her for a moment, then sighed in resignation. "Ah, I guess. I'm too old for this. Mind you; if I get killed on this, right before retirement, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your life."

Anaiya smiled. "Deal."

"Oh," the wolverine added casually, "and I'm going to bring the kid along."

The vixen's eyes narrowed slowly. "Not the kid I'm thinking of, I hope," she ground out.

"Yup." Scar was evidently taking far too much pleasure from this. "Jerhyn needs to get some experience sooner or later, and I figured, with _you_ there-"

"Scar," Anaiya interrupted him sharply, "this isn't just some mission. That kid's not ready for this. I wouldn't have called you at all if I thought I'd be able to do it alone. This is the hardcore stuff; even more-so than the one we met on."

The wolverine's eyebrow rose. "Really? As I remember, that was an intense job. I got this" he indicated the namesake scar across his eye "and you got a bullet in the chest. Right?"

The vixen grimaced. That had not been fun. "Yeah, that's right. But we've got plenty of backup this time."

"Oh? Such as?"

She contemplated not telling him for a moment, but decided to be truthful. "Well," she said carefully, "Besides a few people you don't know, I called Ayame-"

"_What?!"_

"-And I'm going to call Sabre after you," she finished in a rush.

Scar's expression twisted grotesquely, as if he was trying to look horrified and extremely pissed at the same time. Which he probably was.

"You _know _I can't stand those two," the wolverine reminded her sharply, "Ayame's a total psychopath, and Sabre's…" He grimaced. "Well, you know."

Anaiya nodded. "Yeah, I know," she said, "but they're the best there is. Besides, what's wrong with Sabre?"

"What's _wrong _with him!" Scar exploded, glaring at her, "what's _not _wrong with him? The guy's completely apathetic; he'd shoot _you_ in the back if the competition offered him even a credit more than you did. And that's not even half of it-"

"Scar," Anaiya cut him off again, more calmly this time, "I can handle myself; you should know that. Anyway, Sabre and I go way back. He's another guy that owes me a favor. You know how he is with those, right?"

Grudgingly, Scar nodded. "Yeah," he admitted, "but the second he thinks you're even, watch your back!"

Anaiya waved off his concerns. "Yeah, I get it. Don't worry about me," she smiled genuinely at the old wolverine. "Just be sure you get here, okay?"

Scar nodded an affirmative. "You got it, girl. I'll see you soon." He reached forward, probably to cancel the call, then paused and grinned wickedly. "Me and Jerhyn will be there as soon as we can. Bye!"

Anaiya's eyes widened. "Oh, no you don't Scar!"

Too late. Scar had already cut the connection. The vixen swore loudly. That kid annoyed the _hell_ out of her!

"Problems?" Gage asked from his corner. Anaiya had almost forgotten about him.

"No, no problems," she replied coolly, "just an additional member that I wasn't expecting."

"One that you don't like."

"Obviously," she snapped, then sighed. The vulpine got her riled up too easily.

"So, what's the deal with this Sabre guy you were talking about?"

"There's no deal," Anaiya said, "but…" she hesitated slightly. "He's just a little strange."

"Strange like that woman? Ayame?"

"No. Not like her. He's…" The vixen chuckled. "Sabre just is. He's very hard to categorize correctly. Just watch," she added as the vulpine captain opened his mouth again, "you'll see."

Her HUD slid back into place at a thought and Anaiya scrolled through her contacts, looking for Sabre's number. It'd taken her so long to convince him to give the vixen his mobile number; in the end she'd just stolen it and he hadn't felt it was worth the effort of getting it back.

Anaiya chuckled. He'd fixed her with one of his famous emotionless stares that usually signify your impending demise, then turned away with a quiet '_Hn.'_ He was where she'd taken that habit from.

Gage would be delighted.

_3-6-1-8-6-2-9-1-9-0-4-2-7-0-8…_

CONNECTING. PLEASE WAIT.

She really hoped he'd agree to come. He was extremely difficult to deal with. Of course, he probably assumed, since she'd never called him from the _Great Fox,_ or any ship other than her own for that matter, that it was some idiot who either had the wrong number or was purposefully trying to irritate him. The vixen smirked. All Sabre would do would be to calmly inform the person that he was coming to kill them, then track their number down and murder the person. Just for ruining his moment. Sabre was not a guy you screwed with if you wanted to live long.

CONNECTED.

The blank screen came to life. A vulpine with jet-black fur shifted his emotionless, frozen gaze to Anaiya's face from whatever he had been concentrating on before. Crimson streaks traced across his fur, much like a tiger's stripes. The vixen knew for a fact that they weren't dyed. Not that you could see them under the shiny black armor he wore, but she knew they were there. He looked, as Scar had said, totally apathetic. Which, for the most part, he was. All business, all the time with him.

"Anaiya." Sabre's voice was flat and disinterested, like she was a common (and rather unwelcome) occurrence. Anaiya knew of very, very few things that actually piqued the vulpine's interest.

"Hey, Sabre," she said casually, "how've you been?"

"What do you want," he said calmly, completely ignoring her question.

"Straight to the point as always, I see," she muttered. She knew he'd hear it anyway, but whatever.

Sabre's expression didn't shift in the slightest. Anaiya sighed. "Alright then. I need your help. Show up on Corneria tomorrow, I'll let you know where-"

"I've already traced your location," the indifferent vulpine informed her.

"Oh, well, wonderful." He did that all the time. His attitude practically oozed superiority. And he was, to most people. "We good then," Anaiya asked.

"Who else is in the room with you." The vixen always found it interesting how his questions always sounded more like statements or commands. And how he always figured out stuff like that!

Anaiya raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think there is anyone else in this room?" she challenged.

Sabre's face tightened slightly. "The shadow that is continually shifting directly to the left of your foot is improperly shaped for any standard or nonstandard bridge equipment. Even on the _Great Fox_."

There he goes again…

"I do not appreciate being played for a fool." He somehow managed to make his voice sound irritated and insulted while not shifting his tone in the slightest. She'd really have to ask him how he did that one of these days.

Anaiya raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, fine." She motioned reluctantly to Gage, who stepped forward warily. A tiny gesture from her told him to stay silent. Sabre's eyes shifted ever so slightly, but he showed no more interest in Gage then he did in Anaiya. "You know who this is, right?"

"Captain Birse." The black vulpine's head tilted a tiny bit. "I remember you. Why is Dagger team involved in this favor, Anaiya."

"'Cause I needed more firepower," she told him, "and it's a threat to the Cornerian government as well."

For the first time that conversation, Sabre showed some emotion. His eyes narrowed about a degree. "The Ragnarok virus."

Anaiya blinked stupidly. "Er, yeah, how'd you-"

"None of your concern."

The vixen sighed, irritated. Sabre was no fun to deal with unless they were in the middle of a fight. He was an absolute _beast_ with that scythe of his. "Okay, yeah, the Ragnarok virus. We're going after it and Raaze, then-"

"Shran is mine."

Anaiya paused, off-balance, "what?"

Sabre's eyes gleamed eerily in the low light of wherever he was. "When we encounter the biologically-altered lizard Shran, right hand of Commander Raaze, leader of the Venomian Remnant, he is mine to deal with."

"Wanna tell me why? And how you knew I'm on the _Great Fox?_"

"No, and I had the signature of that dreadnaught registered in my database some time ago."

"Well, don't you just think of everything," Anaiya said irritably."

"Hn."

There was a silence, and Anaiya grimaced. Sabre couldn't have a casual conversation to save his life.

"So how've you been?" She ventured.

Silence.

Then: "This conversation is over. I will arrive at midday tomorrow."

The screen went blank.

Anaiya blinked. "Good conversation we had," she said to no one.

"You're right," Gage said, standing beside her, "that guy is strange."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it," Anaiya said tiredly, "wait until they all get here tomorrow. Sparks will fly, trust me."

-

Okay, cool, so now all the new Ocs are introduced. Hope they don't suck. Ayame and Sabre are a lot of fun to write. Yeah, I kinda just dumped Katt and Bill off in the middle of nowhere, but I wasn't quite sure on how to get rid of them. I know this chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but I'm going to write a special interlude chapter for Christmas. Sort of my Christmas/Holiday gift to you all. See you then.


	9. Interlude: Gears of War

Well, here it is, as promised: the Christmas special. XD. Sounds dumb when I say it like that. Oh well. It's not going to be terribly long, but it's an update after only 3 days or so, right? Don't get greedy. It's just filler info really. You'd survive without it, but it's fun to read. Happy Holidays, all.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya and her team are mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. No using them without permission, got it?

You cannot play at chess if you are kind-hearted.

French proverb

-

Interlude: Gears of War

Raaze strode down a long hallway in _Corneria's Gambit_ with Shran at his side, the giant lizard's noiseless padding seeming out of place next to the sound of Raaze's boots clicking on the deck. The research station's defenses had been easy to overwhelm; they were obviously not expecting an assault of any kind. Even if they had been prepared, the outcome would have been the same in the end. Raaze's flagship, _Hand of Vengeance_, would have destroyed any cruisers they had in place. The only ships left in the galaxy that could match the _Vengeance_ were the _Victory_-class flagships of Corneria, of which there were exceedingly few remaining.

Old news at this point. Raaze's vanguard had already penetrated the facility's inner levels, and Raaze himself was taking an active role in the assault for a change. Shran merely wanted blood, and the Remnant leader was happy to oblige him.

The Cornerians would have no way of knowing they'd lost yet another of their stations for a while. The COM blackout over the _Gambit_ prevented any long-range transmissions from entering or leaving the immediate vicinity, much to the horror of the residing researchers and small platoon stationed here. Even if the Cornerians were somehow alerted to the takeover, it made no difference. Raaze planned to be long gone by the time they arrived.

But now, to the business at hand…

The scourging of the station was nearly complete. There remained only scattered pockets of resistance throughout the facility, but they were of no concern to Raaze. Ants needing only to be crushed underfoot, their efforts as insignificant as Anaiya's mutiny. In Raaze's grand scheme of things, it mattered not. All the feline was interested in was the research stored in the lower levels of the station. Research on _his_ virus. He resisted the urge to scoff derisively. Utter fools, all of them. Still, foolishness did not necessarily entail stupidity. On the contrary, some of the things they had discovered were quite brilliant. Unfortunately, for them at least, that information would soon be used against them, just as soon as Raaze acquired that research, which was stored and conducted on this very station. As he already had the necessary security codes, all of the workers were now expendable.

More's the pity.

A shout from ahead drew the feline's attention. A small contingent of troops seemed to be trying to make a stand at the end of the hall, incidentally the same way Raaze happened to be going. They were firing down the other side of the corridor, their backs to Raaze.

This would not do.

Shran was waiting expectantly for his command, the great reptile almost quivering with excitement. It had been some time since he could kill indiscriminately, as he was prone to do.

Raaze waved a hand lazily. "Deal with them," he told Shran casually, not slowing his step in the slightest.

That was all the hulking reptile needed. With only a triumphant hiss for acknowledgement, Raaze's right hand vanished in a black blur. The poor soldiers didn't even register his presence until the dark lizard was upon them.

Shran tore into them with all the subtlety of a bulldozer, disemboweling the closest two Cornerians with a single vicious swipe of his monstrous claws.

Eight left.

The remaining soldiers spun, their confused looks quickly turning to terror as they saw what, not who, _what_, was attacking them. Shran lashed out with his left hand, backhanding a trooper into the wall. There was a sickening crack as his neck broke and the dog slid down to rest with his head at an odd angle on the floor. The lizard's other hand punched effortlessly through another soldier's armor, his claws shattering the raccoon's ribs into pieces before closing around his heart and squeezing, pulverizing the organ. The soldier shuddered, then slipped free of Shran's claws with a wet sucking noise, audible even at Raaze's range.

Six.

One of the soldiers finally managed to overcome his fear and brought his rifle to bear on Shran. The lizard merely watched him, blood dripping from his claws. The trooper fired. Raaze smiled.

Fool.

The trio of lasers that spat forth impacted Shran's chest and the lizard bent backwards, swaying-

-Before he straightened up again with a terrifying leer directed at the awed soldier. Shran leaned closer and closer, the trooper too shocked to move…

With the evil look never leaving his face, the giant lizard's head snapped forward to sink his teeth deep into the dog's throat, the needlelike fangs shredding flesh as Shran pulled back, taking what remained of the soldier's neck with him.

The dying dog reeled, desperately trying to take in air through the space where his throat used to be, his face terror-stricken. His comrades watched in fear and no small amount of disgust as the dog trembled for a moment more before falling. The remaining troops didn't move again until Shran clapped his hands together around one of their heads, popping it like a grape. Blood and brains splattered everywhere.

Four.

One of the more foolish of the group tried shooting the beastly reptile again. That lasted the entire half-second it took for Shran to spin around, shatter the gun with a swat, and shove one of the larger pieces down the unfortunate rabbit's throat.

Three.

The bravest of the remaining soldiers charged forward, a knife raised to skewer Shran. Raaze almost snorted. You'd need far more than a knife to take Shran down.

The lizard in question casually caught his charging adversary by the neck, lifting him into the air with a single hand. His other hand caught the struggling trooper by the leg and tilted him sideways.

Raaze lifted an eyebrow.

Shran tugged sharply.

The soldier tore. It was as simple as that. The dog's flesh ripped and bones popped as he screamed. Blood sprayed everywhere as Shran twisted to snap a kick into the chest of the other trooper, who had been trying to blindside the lizard but stopped to witness his comrade's death. His ribs crunched instantly and he flew backwards to smash into the bulkhead.

Just one left.

Raaze smiled. The finale was always enjoyable.

The final soldier was actually quivering, and his pant leg was wet. He turned to sprint off, a wordless howl of fear rising from his lips.

But Shran was not one to let prey go so easily.

The huge lizard easily caught up to the fleeing dog, slashing a claw down and shredding the skin, clothing and armor on the canine's back. The soldier screamed in agony, but that pain was nothing to what followed. Shran thrust a clawed hand deep into his back and clenched his fist.

Then pulled.

There was an awful crunching and cracking of bones as part of the soldier's spine was torn out of his back. Shattered and fractured ribs were hanging off it, and it had broken off a part of the skull. The grotesque thing hung there in Shran's grip. The already dead soldier catapulted forward, his momentum hurling the corpse to the deck. Shran stared interestedly at the spine for a moment before dropping it.

"And then there were none," Raaze finished, a small smile on his face as he stepped over the first corpse. He hadn't even had to slow his pace. "Did you enjoy yourself," he asked the bloodied, grinning lizard, who dipped his head in an affirmative. "Let's continue, then." A group of Raaze's vanguard, obviously having just been engaged with the soldiers Shran had so neatly slaughtered, were watching the pair with a mixture of fear and awe. They immediately flattened themselves against the bulkhead, creating a path.

As it should be.

Raaze had only managed a few steps when Shran stopped again, facing down an adjacent hall. Raaze huffed in annoyance. Once was enough, since the soldiers had been in the way, but he would brook no detours…

Raaze glanced down the corridor.

A single figure crouched at the opposite end, a long rod held perpendicular to his body. The black-furred vulpine turned his head slightly to face them. A thin crimson stripe of fur streaked down his exposed arm. Reflective black armor covered his body. Oddly enough, he didn't seem at all intimidated by Shran's presence. Strange. The giant lizard usually sent people running for cover. Obviously a mercenary of some kind, judging by the armor and weapon choice. But that wasn't what interested Raaze. What _did_ interest him was the rather large pile of slain soldiers surrounding the vulpine.

_Raaze's_ soldiers.

His eyes narrowed.

That would not be tolerated.

"I think," Raaze said coldly, his icy gaze fixed on the vulpine, who was clearly unimpressed with his death glare, "that he needs to be taught not to interfere with matters that do not concern him. When you are finished," he added, turning away, "join me down in the lab. Don't take all day."

Shran growled eagerly, flexing his bloody claws, then sprinted down the hall towards his new adversary. Raaze heard a strange, whining, crackling hiss that seemed oddly familiar, then a clash as the two connected.

Raaze smiled as he continued sedately down the hall, enjoying the sounds of combat.

-

Ayame was smart.

She knew she was; it took a smart person to do what she did. She could have just run into the big building where the guy who needed to be shot was. But she didn't. Oh no, Ayame was too smart for that. She knew he had lots of friends in there to help him if she shot him there. So, being the smart person she was, Ayame waited for him to come out of the building before she shot him. See how smart she was? And it was worth it, too; he bled all over the place. All over his friends, too. No one else was as happy as Ayame. She wondered why. Blood was fun. Maybe it was because she shot their friend? Ayame didn't know.

_Enough of this foolishness…_

Huh? Ow, something hurt. Had she been shot? Ayame didn't remember being shot…

Ah. Finally. Pushing the idiot out of the way took far more effort than it should have. No matter. As useless as she might have seemed (and was, in reality), she was an effective cover. Who would have suspected the mentally crippled, trigger-happy lupine of being even decently intelligent?

Not too many people.

Her COM pinged. Annoyed, she turned to check it. A familiar name appeared, blinking brightly.

"Anaiya," she said out loud, ignoring the screams and laserfire of the surrounding guards. She was not concerned with them; their aim was absolutely atrocious. "What is it you want, I wonder?"

Best to let the idiot back out. Anaiya was rather clever; she'd connect the dots soon enough, given the chance. She intended to give the troublesome vixen no help in the matter. Activating her COM, she slipped back…

Oh. Huh? What was that? Weird! It was almost like…

Someone ran in front of her.

Ayame's hand automatically snapped up and she fired the big shotgun in her hand. She giggled. Ayame loved how it did that by itself sometimes!

She thought she yelled something at the guy who bled so pretty, but Ayame couldn't really remember what.

"Ayame," came a voice from _somewhere_, "you know your COM is on?"

"Huh?" Whoa! Where was she talking from? And was that- "oh! Heya, Anaiya! What's new with you, you big-"

"Yo, you could have just called me after you finished with that, you know." Interrupting her like that was really rude, but Anaiya was nice, so Ayame wouldn't shoot her.

But there were more people to shoot! Ayame shot some more, laughing again. It was just so fun!

Okay," Anaiya said, "but I've got a favor to call in. You listening?"

What? Oh. She must have said something else and not remembered. Oh well. Yeah, she'd help Anaiya! Ayame always got to shoot people when Anaiya hung around. She just hoped that stupid Sabre guy wasn't there. He was always so mean to her…

-

Sabre was not amused.

He had been contracted for a simple escort mission; bring the package from point A to point B intact. Simple. He accomplished his mission. Now his contractors were under attack from what he assumed was the Venomian Remnant, if the flagship was anything to judge by, and they wanted Sabre to help fend them off. Not as part of a new contract, but out of the 'goodness of his heart.'

Sabre was not amused in the slightest.

Rather unfortunately, however, the Venomians considered him a threat, and attacked him as such. A wise decision on their part, but he cut them down nonetheless. One of his ex-contractors tried to force him to help them, the fool even going so far as to draw a pistol to threaten him.

Sabre did not take well to threats, or breaches of contract. So he killed them too. They should have known not to threaten him. But now the problem remained of getting out of this station before the Venomians acquired whatever it was they wanted and destroyed the station.

Sabre was _definitely_ not amused.

The black vulpine's keen ears caught the monotonous thuds of marching soldiers and shook his head. They must have assumed it would intimidate their opponents into submission. They must have overlooked the fact that there were some cool-headed individuals who would not panic and would instead take advantage of the situation.

Sabre was part of the latter group.

After a cursory inspection of the corridor, Sabre leapt straight upward, bracing himself in place against the ceiling with his legs. His black armor, coupled with the dim, flickering emergency lights, made him invisible for all intents and purposes. The group of Venomian soldiers obviously agreed, for the ten of them marched in a square formation down the hall beneath him, oblivious to his presence. Sabre allowed himself a tiny smile. The vulpine relaxed his legs and fell into the center of the group, already spinning as he thumbed the activation switch on the long, black rod he carried.

Half a second later, they were all dead.

Sabre did not rise from his crouch. He released the switch on the rod, and the ambient humming faded. The fox hadn't even felt the need to lock the weapon on.

He wondered for a moment why they even bothered sending soldiers such as this into combat. If they weren't going to be observant enough to notice an enemy barely half a foot above them, then they obviously were not ready to be deployed. Perhaps they were getting desperate. Or this rabble was all that joined up. It mattered little to Sabre.

Someone spoke, rather close by. Sabre turned his head to the side to see a black feline and an enormous black-scaled lizard glaring angry death at him. Sabre stared back, unfazed. It had been proven a scientific impossibility to intimidate Sabre. The feline spoke in a low tone to the lizard before turning away. The reptile, on the other hand, grinned at Sabre and charged.

Sabre quirked an eyebrow. The lizard was faster than he'd anticipated, but the vulpine was never caught off guard. He jumped back a step and brought the rod in front up of him, locking the activation switch. A pair of curved, orange energy blades burst from the end of the rod, hissing and crackling. Sabre whirled his scythe in a defensive pattern as the lizard approached. A small frown creased Sabre's face. The reptile didn't look like he intended to stop anytime soon…

That, more than anything, alerted the vulpine to the impending danger. He slashed at the approaching lizard, scoring him across the chest. To what would have been his surprise, however, it did not tear in and rip the reptile into pieces. Sabre skipped back a few steps, dodging the claw that came whistling in. If he had been even the least bit slowed by the surprise of his weapon failing to kill the lizard in one blow, he would have been dead now.

Sabre let a small smile play across his muzzle.

This was going to be fun.

While Sabre's energy scythe hurt the black lizard slightly, it did nothing more than that. It would take far more blows than usual to bring this one down. The vulpine blurred into a stunning flurry of blows, whipping the scythe back and forth across the lizard's body almost faster than the naked eye could follow. The energy trail left by the blades created a deceptive afterimage, making it harder to determine where the weapon actually was at a given moment.

The vulpine used the scythe's rod to deflect one of the lizard's blows and regretted it immediately after. The assault jarred him, putting him off balance for a moment. He barely avoided a sweeping kick. The scythe itself was strong enough to stand up to any amount of punishment, but Sabre couldn't. The lizard's strength was insane; he could probably dent the bulkhead with a decent blow.

Sabre bent backward at the waist, narrowly avoiding being carved open by a wide slash. His leg lifted and a knife burst from his boot tip. The vulpine kicked the lizard viciously, right behind the kneecap. However, Sabre was not surprised when the hulking lizard did not cry out in pain. Instead, the reptile lumbered forward, clearly intent on grappling the vulpine, probably to crush him to death. If Sabre remembered the layout of the hall correctly, just a few feet behind him was a wall, which he would be trapped against.

That would not do.

The agile vulpine jumped, whirling his scythe in a tight circle and cutting the lizard's hands, causing him to flinch for a second. That was all the opening Sabre needed. The fox hit the ground and rolled forward between the momentarily distracted lizard's legs, slashing them as he did. Superficial injuries, yes, but that was not the point of this maneuver. With his free hand, Sabre planted a tiny device that the he had dropped from his glove on the front of the lizard's knee as he went by. Once he was clear of his adversary, the vulpine kicked up, also using his scythe as leverage to return to his feet. Of course, he expected the lizard to have recovered by now, and was not disappointed. Sabre barely had time to regain his balance before a hard foot smashed into his chest armor, hurling him a dozen feet down the corridor to skid into a wall.

Hm. Not entirely unexpected, but not in the plan, either. No matter.

Sabre glanced up to see the reptile bearing down on him, a triumphant sneer on his face. The vulpine almost snickered before closing his eyes and keying a switch.

The fox could see the flashbang even through his closed lids, but it did not blind him, as it would have if he had looked directly into it. However, it did, for the moment at least, disorient his opponent. The lizard stumbled a bit, glaring daggers at him.

Sabre snatched his scythe up from the ground and whipped it across at the reptile's face.

Finally, he got a reaction.

The black lizard howled as the orange energy blade tore through his right eye, utterly destroying it. As he had guessed, the eyes did not have the same level of energy resistance as the rest of his scales did. However, Sabre noticed it was not a howl of pain, but of anger.

Hm. Unexpected.

They circled each other, the lizard finally wary of his opponent.

Someone's COM pinged.

Sabre raised an eyebrow and stared expectantly at the lizard, who gnashed his teeth in frustration before answering.

"Where are you," an irritable voice demanded. Probably that feline from before. "Haven't you finished yet?"

The lizard stared hatefully at Sabre. "There was a minor problem," he hissed, flexing his claws.

Whoever was on the other end of the line snorted in disgust. "Unfortunate for you, Shran. Time's up. Leave him and get down here."

The lizard, Shran, lashed his tail in fury. "Of course, Lord Raaze," he growled venomously, disconnecting the line. Shran glowered at Sabre, who stood impassively, watching. Raaze, was it?

"Run along then, little dog," Sabre said dismissively, "as your master commands."

Shran growled, slashing the wall in fury. He left veritable trenches in the starship-grade metal. "We'll meet again," he spat, then turned and vanished down the hall.

Sabre stared after him for a moment, then thumbed his scythe off, the orange blades vanishing. "Yes," he said coldly, "we will. Rest assured."

The black-furred vulpine continued back to the hangar, already formulating a plan for their next encounter.

_Do not worry, Shran. I shall make sure we meet again. I have much to learn on you and your master. Raaze, was it not? I will come for you. And it may be sooner than you think…_

-

Woot. Very short, as I told you it would. And not perfect, either, but hey, take what you can, right? Anyway, Happy Holidays all, hope you enjoyed it.


	10. Chapter Eight: Contention

Oh my god, he's alive. Who'da thought.

So, my computer died, and I lost this chapter and everything else. I just bought a new one, and was extremely pissed off to discover that Microsoft Word/Office is 400 dollars. Ridiculous. So I didn't buy it. I've got some spin off, OpenOffice. I don't like it much, but whatever. Then I just had _barrels_ of fun (please note the intended sarcasm) getting the dialogue for this chapter right. That was horrendously frustrating. And then I thought I had meningitis, which was horribly nerve-wracking, but luckily it turned out to just be a bizarre coincidence of all the major symptoms, which was really strange. A sprained neck, a simple fever, and a headache. Scary time, that was. But, finally, I finished, and the next one shouldn't take quite as long. But no promises.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya and her team (which haven't actually showed up yet) are mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. No using them without permission, got it?

-

Chapter Eight: Contention

-Teamwork is essential. It allows you to blame someone else.

Proverb

Fox sat rather nervously, shifting a bit in his seat. He, Gage, and Anaiya were just outside the _Great Fox_, waiting for the vixen's friends to arrive. From what Gage had told him about the conversations they'd had with Anaiya, they sounded like a bunch of lunatics. The vulpine was rather nervous about meeting them in person.

Anaiya watched in amusement as Fox fidgeted. "What're you so worried about," she asked, stretching from where she sat on the ground. "They're not going to do anything. They're here to help. Well, not going to do anything to _you_, I mean. Each other, I'm not so sure…"

"Why did you even need to call them in the first place," Gage asked for what had to be the seventh time, the omni-present scowl still not leaving his face.

Anaiya smirked at him; obviously quite enjoying the vulpine's irritation. "We need the backup for this mission," she reminded him blithely. "What? Upset that your team isn't in the spotlight anymore?"

"Dagger's never in the spotlight," Gage muttered, "that's not how we work."

The vixen blinked. "Oh. Right. Well, whatever. You know what I meant." Her eye focused on something on the red lens covering it. "Scar should be here soon. And that annoying kid."

Fox frowned. "Just Scar?"

Anaiya nodded. "Yup. They each have a pattern; Scar's always punctual, Ayame is late every time, and Sabre is on the dot, without exception." She smirked. "He's probably already here somewhere, just waiting. He does that. Oh, and a word of advice: whatever you do, _don't_ try and piss Sabre off. It's really hard to do, but if you somehow manage it, you're dead. He'll either shoot you or just, like, hunt you down. Just, don't do it. It's that simple."

Fox looked rather nonplussed. "Anything else we should know," he said wryly.

Anaiya frowned, considering. "Nah, I think that's it. Scar's cool; he's just a grouchy old guy, you know the type. The kid he's bringing" she grimaced "is a wuss. He's way too jumpy. You can scare him by staring long enough. Pathetic. Ayame's…well, insane. I don't think she'll really take offense at anything you say, since she probably won't understand the insult, but she sometimes has these phases, and that's your cue to leave. She gets, uh, worse than usual. Just leave her alone then."

Gage snorted. "I thought you said we needed _help_, not obstacles."

The vixen's eyes narrowed. "Wait until you see them fight, then tell me they're obstacles and you'd rather be fighting against them." A sly grin appeared on her face. "Come to think of it, why don't our teams have a little spar? You have access to that high-tech VR shit, right? Let's use it. It'll be fun."

Gage arched an eyebrow. "They're not for 'fun'," he informed her dryly, "they're for training. Although, I _suppose_ I could manage to get us a room." A smile identical to Anaiya's slid across his muzzle.

"I look forward to it." The vixen winked roguishly. "We'll do that when they get here, get everyone acquainted."

They sat in silence for another minute or so, Anaiya muttering quietly to herself and Gage off to the side, speaking to someone on a phone. The hangar door opened and two people stepped in, one trailing slightly behind and glancing around anxiously. The other, a hulking wolverine with gray fur, strode forward confidently, hunched forward slightly with age. He wore a brown flightsuit. Anaiya grinned and jumped up, walking quickly to meet them.

"Hey, old man," the vixen greeted, punching the wolverine playfully in the shoulder. "How've you been?"

Scar grunted, shoving Anaiya good-naturedly. "Much better _before_ you called me, brat. I had a very nice place going for me, my retirement all set up, and then you call and screw up everything. Nice job."

"You know you love me."

The wolverine grunted again. "Sometimes I wonder why." He grinned suddenly. "Oh, you remember Jerhyn, don't you?"

Anaiya sighed, closing one eye and tilting her head, staring at the other addition to their conversation. "Unfortunately."

Jerhyn, by Anaiya's estimation, should not have been there. The orange-furred cat was skittish, not terribly handy with a gun, and an overall annoyance. He even wore glasses. Seriously, with all the corrective surgeries available, who still wore glasses?

Granted, the nerdy guy was a whiz with all that computer crap, admittedly better than Anaiya herself, but that didn't make up for his other failings. The vixen did not want him here.

"H-hey," Jerhyn managed to stammer out, staring flabbergasted at Anaiya.

That was another problem. He practically idolized the vixen for the way she'd cut herself loose from the Black Vipers. Tales of her exploits were told throughout the crew of that gang, and he'd heard quite a few. Meeting her in person for a second time was evidently very exciting for him.

It annoyed the hell out of Anaiya.

"Stop gawking," she snapped, eyes narrowing. "You're annoying me."

The kid paled, adjusting his glasses nervously. Pathetic. "Er, I-I didn't mean to-"

Anaiya huffed and turned away. Scar chuckled, ruffling the kid's fur. " Calm down. She's just screwing with you."

"Am I," Anaiya shot over her shoulder, "I wasn't aware."

"Well, now you are." Scar suddenly realized there were other people in the hangar besides Anaiya and turned to face them. He nodded respectfully to Fox.

"Fox McCloud. It's a pleasure."

The vulpine returned the gesture with a nod of his own, preferring to remain silent.

Scar returned his gaze to Anaiya, after a cursory glance at Gage, who inclined his head.

"So," his mouth twisted slightly in distaste, "Ayame and Sabre should be here soon?"

Anaiya smirked. "Yeah. Sabre should be here any second now." She paused for a moment. "Well, he should pop out at any second; he's already here somewhere."

"Clever deduction," came a new voice from behind them.

Fox and Gage whirled, Gage's hand dropping to his pistol grip.

Sabre stepped off the top of a storage crate behind the _Great Fox, _landing without a sound. How he managed to get there without any of them noticing was beyond Fox. He must have been there way early; there was no other way into this hangar besides the entrance they faced.

Anaiya, however, did not look surprised in the least. She smiled as the vulpine walked forward. Fox couldn't tell for the life of him how the man managed to move so quietly. His boot steps sounded almost muffled, though there was nothing to muffle them.

Odd.

Sabre wore a model of metallic black combat armor Fox had never seen before, not that that was saying much. It looked rather light, and the he couldn't guess how effective it would be at stopping an attack. It was impeccably clean, as if it'd never been used before. Somehow, Fox doubted that was true.

On his back was, strangely enough, a long rod, matching in color with his armor. On his thigh was another oddity: a strange pistol with an exceptionally long barrel.

"Hey there, Sabre," Anaiya said cheerily, stepping forward to greet him. She raised a hand, probably to clap the fox on the shoulder, but apparently thought better of it and lowered her arm. "You're right on time."

Sabre somehow managed to give her a look that told her she'd just said the sky was blue without changing his expression at all. Fox would have to ask him how he did that.

He looked again at the emotionless vulpine, who took a moment to glance back.

On second thought, maybe not.

Scar looked somewhat less than pleased to see the vulpine, but didn't comment. Sabre caught the look and turned to face the big wolverine.

"Is there a problem," he said coolly.

Scar grunted. "I don't like you," he said bluntly, "and I'm sure the feeling's mutual. Let's just stay away from each other, and it won't be an issue."

Sabre raised an eyebrow. "I don't know you," he answered flatly. "I know _of_ you, but I don't know you. Evidently, you know me, which is strange. However, that's not the matter at hand here." He pointed at Anaiya. "Our presence here was requested because she required a team, not because she wanted to reminisce with an old man. We will be needed to work together soon, I'm sure, so release your pride and whatever grudge you have and pull yourself together. Or I can eliminate you here and find a replacement." His eyes were hooded. "Your decision."

His tone hadn't changed a hair the entire time.

Gage snorted.

Scar looked positively livid, and everyone took a few steps back. Except for Sabre and Anaiya, of course. The wolverine advanced on the obviously not-intimidated vulpine, who only moved to straighten the long black rod on his back.

"Listen you little shit," the aged wolverine snarled, bringing his face close to the unfazed Sabre. "I know how you work, leaving a trail of bodies. I've _known_ some of the people you've murdered! Don't you stand there like that and-"

Sabre held up a hand with three fingers extended. Scar paused for a second, his eyes narrow, then continued. "If we're gonna be on this job on the same side, you're _not _going to operate the way you usually do. We're not killing _anyone _we don't need to. You got that?"

Sabre ticked a finger down. Fox saw Anaiya wince and, with a slightly worried expression that put the vulpine on guard, stepped forward, pulling Scar backward away from the indifferent Sabre.

"Come on, man," she muttered consolingly to the fuming wolverine, "I know, I know about your nephew, but calm down. We can't do this here, not now. This is too important. You know I wouldn't have called the two of you to one spot if I didn't have to."

Scar muttered something indecipherable, still glaring furiously.

"Alright, alright," Anaiya soothed, patting the big man's arm, "just don't confront him and it'll be fine. Okay?"

The wolverine nodded curtly. Anaiya grinned and punched him.

"Listen to me," she joked, "isn't it the old guy's job to be mediator?"

A small smile curled around Scar's muzzle and he shoved the vixen playfully.

"Hey, hey," he protested, "I thought we decided on no more old jokes."

Anaiya snorted. "I don't remember that conversation." She grinned impishly and dodged out of range as the wolverine swatted at her again.

"I see this part of you is the same, at least," Scar chuckled.

Anaiya grimaced. "Yeah, well, that's about the only thing that stayed," she said.

Now, what did _that_ mean?

While the pair of them were talking, Fox glanced cautiously over at Sabre. The black armored vulpine seemed remarkably unperturbed by the whole ordeal, leaning calmly leaning against the wall of the hangar.

"Are you finished," he said coolly, rather blatantly ignoring Scar's renewed glare.

Anaiya sighed. "Yeah, yeah, we're done," she said ruefully, elbowing the big wolverine.

"Good." You couldn't have known from his tone that that was a good thing. "Shall we get started."

The vixen sighed again, this time in slight annoyance. "No, unfortunately. We're still waiting on Ayame." She blinked and pressed a button on her wrist keypad. "Oh, wait, maybe not..."

"I heard my name!" Someone shouted gleefully.

In unison (minus Sabre), the room turned to face the hangar door, Anaiya with a small grin on her face and Scar grimacing.

Ayame, for that was who this had to be, did not reassure Fox in the slightest on first sight. The white furred lupine, who wore incredibly bright red, skin-tight clothes, skipped around the corner, a pair of _shotguns_ swinging from her shoulders. In plain sight, in broad daylight.

Gage snorted again.

Anaiya seemed torn between exasperation and amusement. "Ayame," she said, a smirk playing across her muzzle, "did you walk all the way here like that?"

The lupine looked at her in confusion, then brightened. "Hey Anaiya! I got here on time! Isn't that _great?_"

Scar snorted in derision. "Yes, ten points for the moron in red," he muttered.

Anaiya, who had obviously heard him, decided to ignore the wolverine and spoke again to Ayame. "I asked if you walked all the way here with those guns like that."

The lupine glanced down in surprise, as if noticing the swinging weapons for the first time. "Oh. I guess I did. Why? Is that a bad thing?"

Anaiya buried her face in her hand. "Yeah, it kinda is," she muttered, massaging her temples. "Did anyone see you?"

Ayame paused for a moment. "No, but everyone was pointing at me and screaming, and I hadn't even hurt them yet!"

Gage stiffened. Anaiya's head jerked up so fast Fox would have sworn he heard her neck crack. "You didn't hurt anyone." The vixen's voice was cold and hard, so different from just a moment ago. "Christ, Ayame, if you did-"

"What?" The lupine protested. "They were all gone too fast. I didn't get a chance. It was _so_ disappointing."

Anaiya and Gage relaxed simultaneously. Fox understood. If this crazy girl had killed civilians, there'd be no way she could help them, if she wasn't arrested right off the bat. That's probably what Anaiya was thinking, anyway. Gage probably was ready to take the wolf down himself if she had hurt anyone.

"Woe is you," Sabre murmured.

Ayame's head snapped around. "_You_!" She proclaimed, pointing dramatically at the indifferent vulpine. "I found you!"

"How very clever of you."

"Yeah," the lupine said proudly, striking a pose. "But you're still such a _jerk_."

"Hn."

Fox suddenly had a guess as to where Anaiya'd gotten that little quirk of hers.

"Oh my _god_," Ayame shouted, "there you go again, jerk!"

"_Loving_ the team dynamics here," Gage muttered under his breath. The vulpine raised his voice. "Are we going to have to put up with this for the whole time?"

"Unfortunately," Scar grumbled.

Sabre ignored everyone, striding forward and motioning to Anaiya. "We're all here," he said, "let's get on with this."

"Stop being so _impatient,_" Ayame moaned. The whiny undertone grated on Fox. He did not like this girl one bit.

Sabre glanced at the lupine. "Stop talking," he commanded.

Ayame stuck her tongue out. "Or what?" She challenged. "Whadda gonna do?"

Sabre looked at her expressionlessly.

"Oh, jeez," Anaiya groaned. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all," she mused.

A small smile formed on Ayame's muzzle, quickly growing in size to a manic grin. "Make me!" She yelled, and snapped her shotguns up.

Sabre moved.

The black armored vulpine covered the ground between them in a flash, his hands angling one of her shotguns up towards the ceiling and the other into the ground. How he got there so fast, Fox would never know.

His expression never changed.

"I would rather not do this yet," Sabre informed her coolly, "but if you insist..."

When Ayame did not move, the vulpine released her weapons and turned away. Instantly, Ayame whipped one of her guns up and fired into Sabre's back.

Or tried to. The gun clicked impotently, much to Ayame's obvious displeasure. Sabre did not turn around. "I also activated the safeties," he told her, not giving the lupine so much as a glance.

Ayame's insane grin faded and she pouted. "Well, that's no fun." The lupine suddenly snapped her arm up, pointing at him again. "I'll get you when you least expect it! Count on it!"

"That would defeat the purpose, would it not."

Ayame blinked. "Huh?" was her intelligent answer.

"Hn." Sabre walked away.

Yep, that was definitely where Anaiya got it from.

The vixen in question strolled over to them, a bemused look on her face. "Well, that went well," she said. "We're going to have to take two vehicles. You, Gage, and Sabre in one, me, Ayame and Scar in the other. That work for you?"

Fox nodded. "I get the feeling this isn't really going to work out so well," he said uneasily.

Anaiya waved him off. "It'll be fine," she reassured him, "once they blow off some steam in the VR, they'll mesh great." She frowned. "I hope."

-

The trip over to the military base was not one of the most enjoyable rides Fox had ever had, to say the least. Sabre was silent nearly the entire time, and he cast an uncomfortable pallor over the other two passengers.

"So," Fox probed carefully, trying to make some conversation, "you're a mercenary?"

The black armored vulpine glanced at him with a 'no shit' look. Okay, yeah, dumb question. Of course he was. He switched targets. "Gage, Dagger'll be waiting for us when we get there, right?"

Gage nodded. "Yep. Called 'em earlier." He chuckled. "They're pretty anxious to have it out with your girl's team."

"You will lose."

Fox and Gage twisted in their seats to stare at Sabre. _You will lose._ That was it. Not gloatingly, not arrogantly, just a simple statement of fact.

"Oh, really," Gage drawled, obviously unconvinced. Fox had to agree; Dagger was very, very good at what they did. You didn't get to be the best by _not _being the best. He found it very unlikely that Anaiya's team of misfits could beat them. Although, Anaiya had taken down him and Gage without an undue amount of trouble in the gym that day, and Sabre had moved _really _fast...

"Yes, really," Sabre said flatly. "I highly doubt Dagger has had experience combating opponents such as myself and Anaiya. Our tactics are...unconventional."

Gage looked like he wanted to tell Sabre exactly where he could shove his tactics, but restrained himself with a visible effort. "Sure, sure," he said coolly. It was silent for a moment, then Gage spoke again. "I notice you didn't mention Ayame, Scar, or that kid, just yourself and Anaiya."

Sabre inclined his head. "You are correct. The wolverine is an as of yet unknown quandary, the cat is quite obviously not combat material, and Ayame is more a berserker than a fighter. She attacks whenever the whim strikes her; she has not tactics to speak of. I have fought alongside Anaiya before, and I know how we fight together. That is why I chose the words I did."

Language freak, that one.

"Oh," Fox said, capitalizing on the opportunity, "you've fought against Anaiya before?"

Sabre glanced at him with that look Fox hated already, the maddeningly expressionless facade that still managed to convey large amounts of condescension and superiority. "I said I've fought _alongside_ her before." Yep, definitely one of those 'precision of language' people. "I know how our cooperative tactics play out. I have never seen her in solo combat, and the opposite is also true. If we had fought each other, you and I would not be having this conversation."

Fox blinked. "Why?"

"Because one of us would be dead," Sabre explained, sounding as if he were talking to a child. A fairly slow child, at that. And yet _still_ not changing his tone. "If I had lost, it's fairly obvious why you wouldn't be speaking to me. If she had lost, you would have been none the wiser, as you believed her dead anyway."

"And what do you mean by that, exactly?" Fox demanded. His irritation had been rising throughout Sabre's condescending speech, and it peaked when the vulpine finished that last sentence.

Sabre shrugged indifferently. "Only that you're a naive fool to have fallen for such a trick so easily."

"Oh yeah?" Fox snapped, "and you think you wouldn't have bought it as well?"

"Undoubtedly I would not have."

"And why's that," the Arwing pilot growled, growing more angry by the moment. "You're just that much better than me, is that what you think?"

Sabre gazed steadily at the infuriated vulpine. "What I _know_," he said coolly, "is that my mind would not have been clouded, as yours was. And still is. You allowed your emotions to influence your rationale. Your feelings for her made your thinking unclear, and you suffered for it. A calm and precise mind would have been able to see what had truly happened."

"What about everyone else, then? Were they all as 'influenced' as me?"

"Not all."

Fox glared. "Then why didn't they pick up on it?"

"Because they chose not to. Believing her dead simplified many things for a number of people."

The Starfox captain blinked. "What?"

Sabre raised an eyebrow slightly, then nodded once. "I see. You don't yet understand who she is. Perhaps _was_ is a more accurate term, however. Who she is now is another matter entirely."

"I don't understand."

The corners of Sabre's lips turned upward in amusement, the first emotion Fox had seen on the frigid vulpine. "Evidently so."

"What do you know about her that you're hiding?" Fox demanded.

"I know many things about the vixen you care so much for, much more than you. But as I said before, your emotions are clouding your judgment on this matter. If you merely open your eyes, you would see a much more accurate version of that woman." He made a small, indecipherable noise. "I should very much enjoy seeing _that _revelation. Although, I suspect you will be the last to connect the dots." His eyes strayed to Gage for a moment.

"Stop talking in riddles," Fox said crossly. Word games had never been his thing.

Sabre eyed him calculatingly for a moment. "Very well," he said simply.

Silence.

"Well?" Fox asked impatiently.

Sabre raised an eyebrow at him.

"Aren't you going to explain what you meant now?"

"No."

Gage snorted, hanging a left on the road.

Fox wanted to tear his fur out. "_Why_ not?"

"You asked me to, I quote, 'stop talking in riddles.' I have no intention of revealing Anaiya's secrets, so I will not speak plainly on this matter. Therefore, this conversation is over."

God damn those language freaks.

-

The rest of the trip had been spent in uncomfortable silence. Well, Fox was uncomfortable. He didn't know about Gage, and he doubted it had effected that infuriating Sabre much. The two vulpine captains had talked a little after their conversation with Sabre, but the atmosphere hadn't been very inviting, so neither of them made much effort.

Anaiya's vehicle had followed right behind them the entire way, and Gage waved off the soldier who approached them, as Anaiya had no ID. Fox wondered about that. How could she _not_ have some kind of ID? The fact that her name, and therefor her ID, would mean nothing to the soldiers was beside the point. He'd asked her earlier, and she'd casually waved the question away. He had decided to drop it, but really, how couldn't she?

Fox vaguely recognized the military building; he was sure he'd done a parade or something here after the conclusion of the Lylat Wars. It looked rather, well, _generic,_ in his opinion, much like the majority of Corneria's bases. Standard military décor, standard soldiers, standard screening (which Gage was also exempt from) and such.

The vulpine wondered when Gage had found the time to get authorization for them to use the VR-whatever it was the two teams were going to use. Maybe Dagger just had free reign over it. He shrugged it off. It wasn't like it really mattered, was it?

Gage shut the vehicle down just as Anaiya hopped out of her own, opening the door and stepping out. Fox and Sabre followed suit. Opposite them, three people piled out after Anaiya. A thoroughly annoyed-looking Scar stomped over to them, glowering when Sabre raised an eyebrow at him. Jerhyn came next, looking rather rattled and continually peeking glances back over his shoulder at the white furred lupine emerging from the vehicle. Ayame blinked as they all stared at her, then stuck her tongue out at Sabre and bounced over to them, thankfully without her shotguns. They probably had Anaiya to thank for that. Now that Fox saw the bouncy lupine up close, he could see spots on her crimson outfit. Fox nearly choked as he realized it was dried blood; the idiot must have thought she didn't have to wash red clothes after getting blood on them.

That was _disgusting._

"Well, then," Anaiya said cheerfully, clapping her hands together, "let's do this, shall we?"

"Do what?" Ayame asked curiously.

Anaiya grinned at her. "We're going to have a little spar with that guy's team," the vixen said, gesturing at Gage.

Ayame observed Gage silently, her head tilted. "Can I kill them?" The lupine asked hopefully.

"Sort of," Anaiya said vaguely, motioning for Gage to lead the way.

Jerhyn spoke for only the second time since he'd arrived."What do you mean, 'sort of'," he asked, frowning slightly and adjusting his glasses. "How can you 'sort of' kill someone?"

Anaiya threw the cat a scathing glance. "Grew some balls on the ride, did you," she said nastily

"Hey, now," Scar intervened, "lay off, Ann."

The vixen puffed her cheeks up and blew out in a huff. Behind her, Fox watched Ayame gleefully imitate the gesture, waving her arms about madly and waggling her eyebrows for extra effect. Good thing Anaiya wasn't looking; Fox knew she'd be none too happy about that. "Fine, then. We're going to be using a VR simulator, so we can go all out without killing each other."

Ayame puffed out her chest, strutting silently around and mouthing everything Anaiya said.

"Well, that's no fun," Scar said jokingly.

"I doubt the purpose of the simulations is for fun," Sabre murmured, not even bothering to acknowledge the glower the aging wolverine sent his way.

"Anyway," Anaiya said hurriedly, heading off the sparking argument, "let's get a move on; we don't have all that much time to waste on this." Her eyes narrowed. "And would you _stop_ doing that, please?" She growled, spinning around to face Ayame, who was frozen mid-gesture with an entirely too innocent look on her face.

"Doing what?" the lupine asked, batting her eyelashes.

Anaiya stared at her coolly for a moment, then turned to Gage. "Let's get on with this, then," she said, then glanced at Fox. "And where do you fit into all of this? Are you going to be in the VR? 'Cause I don't really see how that'll work..."

"Oh," Ayame said loudly, "let him be on _our_ team! Come on, please?"

"I think I'll be sitting this one out, actually," Fox said to the vixen, "I'm a pilot, not a foot soldier."

Anaiya nodded understandingly, but Ayame pouted.

"Aww," she whined, "_c'mon!_"

Anaiya scowled. "No, Ayame."

"_Please_?"

"No."

"_Pretty_ please?"

"No."

"Pretty, _pretty_ please?"

"_No._"

"Do you like cherries?"

Anaiya blinked, caught off guard by the sudden topic change. "Uh, yeah, I guess. Where did that come from?"

"Pretty, pretty please with a _cherry_ on top?"

"_No_, Ayame."

The lupine stomped her foot like a spoiled child. "_Why_ not?"

"He already told you why."

"But he's _cute_, and-"

Anaiya cut her off sharply, glaring. "No, Ayame. Leave him alone."

"Just look at him standing there, I bet he's single-"

"Ayame." Anaiya's voice was cold. "He's not available."

"How do you know?"

"Trust me."

Ayame's eyes widened in apparent realization. "Oh! I get it; _you're _why he's not available!" She grinned in triumph. "So he's yours. Can I have a go? How is he in-"

"Cease speaking." Sabre spoke up finally from his position near the door. "I would like to get this operation underway with all haste, and that won't be done if Anaiya attacks you right here. Please refrain from any more such comments." He stared rather pointedly at Gage, who gave a short nod and stepped forward, leading them into the complex. As he followed, Fox was slightly puzzled to find Anaiya glaring murderously at Ayame, with Scar beside her guffawing loudly. What was that about? He _thought_ he had the gist of what Ayame was talking about, but it seemed to him that Anaiya was overreacting.

Strange.

"Captain!"

Everyone looked up.

Dagger stood at the far end of the hall: Ley, Hart, Beaudoin, Rhiain, and Penick. They saluted in greeting to Gage, and then their eyes turned to Sabre, Ayame, Jerhyn, and Scar, and they stiffened immediately. The responses were quite varied.

Anaiya merely arched an eyebrow at them, not at all intimidated. Scar frowned and straightened his back, returning their looks with a glare. Jerhyn paled slightly and took a step backward, that nervous habit of his showing again as he pushed his glasses frame up his furry nose. Sabre stared at them with what had to be his only expression, the indifferent 'I'm better than you' look. Ayame tilted her head slightly, then stuck her tongue out at them. And _everyone_ was tense; even if they didn't show it. They all knew the others were their competition, the ones trying to show them up. That wouldn't do, would it?

Fox liked to imagine that he saw sparks crackle between them. Fanciful imagery aside, he could tell this wasn't going to end well. Dagger obviously felt like they were being usurped by a bunch of scruffy mercs, which wasn't entirely false, if he thought about it. They were sure to let their displeasure be known, and Fox was positive that Anaiya's team wouldn't take any of that.

They had better get into the VR before someone started bleeding.

"So," Hart, Gage's second, said rather coolly, "you're the new guys?"

Ayame smiled brightly at him. "Yup!" She exclaimed, then frowned. "Who're you, again?"

"This is going to get ugly," Fox whispered to Gage, who nodded in agreement but made no move to intervene.

It seemed like Dagger intended to verbally rip Anaiya's team's spirit apart right there, though all he guessed it would do is spark a fight early. The two teams lined up, facing each other, Fox and Gage at the end. Oh, yes, this was going to be absolutely _hideous_.

Ley snorted derisively. "Good to see our replacements are at least _competent_," she sneered at Ayame.

"_Someone's_ jealous," Anaiya murmured, grinning slightly.

Ley scowled at her. Meanwhile, Penick was apparently making fun of Sabre, which Fox already knew was a terrible idea.

"Look at you," the bear taunted, "that big stick would be worse than useless in a gunfight!"

Sabre stared impassively. "Then it's a good thing it's not meant for gunfights, isn't it," he said coolly.

The bear grunted. "Why're you carrying that around then? Trying to _make up_ for something? Or a _lack_ of something?"

The vulpine mercenary didn't bat an eye. "I don't hold your orientation against you, but in the future, please refrain from trying to trick me into showing you that. I won't fall for it."

Penick sputtered indignantly, while Beaudoin started on Scar.

"Aren't you a bit old to be doing this," the fennec probed, smirking at the old wolverine. "I mean, come on, can't have you falling asleep in the middle of a mission."

Scar glowered at the woman. "None of your business, little girl," he said angrily, "and didn't your parents ever teach you manners? It's rude to talk about age."

"It's rude to steal someone's job, too," Beaudoin countered.

"I'd feel bad about that, if I didn't think you were too incompetent to get it done right," the wolverine retorted.

Next to them, Rhiain eyed Jerhyn quietly. "You really don't look like you belong here," the coyote commented.

The cat lifted his chin, evidently deciding to stand up for himself for once. "If you mean on the front lines, then no, I don't," he said evenly. "I'm responsible for the technological side of things."

Rhiain nodded understandingly. "That's all well and good, but what would you do if someone came at you with a gun?"

"I can handle myself," Jerhyn said, but he didn't sound like he was even fooling himself.

Back at the other end of the line, Hart rounded on Anaiya. "So, what's this about?" He demanded. "We're not good enough for you anymore?"

Anaiya sighed. "I needed my own team," she said calmly. "You guys are Gage's, and even if, and that's a _big '_never going to happen' if, he let me lead you, you wouldn't listen to me. In order to maximize our effectiveness, we needed two competent teams to handle separate objectives."

The raccoon eyed her suspiciously. "What exactly are you getting us in to," he asked coldly. "You haven't given anyone a single detail."

"You'll see when the time comes," the vixen replied airily.

Hart was obviously not satisfied with that answer, but he took a different tact. "And you're sure this isn't just you trying to show Gage up, right," the raccoon questioned.

Anaiya considered. "Only partially that," she conceded.

To her right, Ayame had apparently had enough verbal sparring with Ley. The lupine's eyebrow scrunched angrily, and she pouted. "Oh yeah?" She said challengingly. In an instant, Ayame had drawn a pistol from the back of her waistband, and had it trained on Ley's face, who immediately drew her own weapon. "I _dare_ you to say that again."

The whole room was suddenly dead quiet. No one moved.

Then everyone acted at once.

Beaudoin's pistol cleared it's holster and she trained it on Ayame. Scar snatched his own weapon from it's shoulder holster, aiming it at Beaudoin. Across from him, Rhiain's blaster clicked as the safety was removed, the barrel pointing at the old wolverine. Jerhyn blanched, but managed to unlimber his own small gun and aim it, albeit shakily, at the coyote. Hart's blaster switched targets deftly from Ayame to Anaiya, the latter of which had drawn her own weapon. Gage, not hesitating a moment, whipped his pistol up and onto Anaiya, who drew a _second_ gun and aimed it at him. Penick snatched _his_ weapon from his waistband and trained it on Sabre, whose strange, long-barreled pistol was pointing at him.

In less than a second, the atmosphere had gone from irritated to deadly serious.

Fox buried his face in his hands, then grimaced and looked up. "Come on, guys," he said carefully, "you don't really want to do this, do you?"

"How's this gonna go down," Gage asked evenly, his eyes boring into Anaiya.

"Ayame," Anaiya said tightly, her eyes flicking between Gage and Hart, "_what_ are you doing?"

Ayame blinked at the vixen, disregarding the leopard aiming a gun between her eyes. "Well, I _thought_ I was gonna shoot her. Why? Is that bad?"

"Yes, Ayame, that's very bad," Anaiya snarled, "please put the gun down. _Now._"

"Why don't _you?_"

"I _will,_ all of us will, _after_ you do."

"Why me first," the lupine whined.

"Because you're the only one liable to pull a trigger first," the vixen ground out, her weapons steady.

Ayame blinked again. "Oh. Really?"

"Yes, really. Now, if you please..."

Ayame huffed. "Oh, alright then," she pouted and let her arm drop, holstering her gun.

There were audible sighs of relief, and everyone lowered their weapons. Anaiya smacked Ayame across the back of the head.

"Ow!" The lupine yelped, rubbing her skull, "what was that for?"

"For being an idiot," Anaiya informed her angrily. "I asked you to control yourself!"

Ayame frowned. "She started it."

"Guess what? I really don't care."

Fox sighed. "Let's get on with this, shall we," he asked, rubbing his temples. "Preferably before one of you kills another."

-

Anaiya flicked her fingers at Scar. _Move up._ The wolverine nodded and moved forward to the door silently, his assault rifle leading. They had radios, but those involved talking, which was loud. They'd save the radios for if they were separated. Sabre needed no prompting and glided across the room, his long-barreled pistol aimed at the closed door. Jerhyn went next, following behind the black furred vulpine. Anaiya positioned herself back the way they had come, watching for anyone sneaking up on them. Ayame stood right in front of the door, her shotguns ready. She nodded at Scar, who held up three fingers, ticking one down each second.

_Three._

_Two._

_One._

The wolverine pulled the door open and Ayame swept the room. No shots were heard, so Anaiya assumed it was clear.

This VR thing was really quite handy. Once the group had finally gotten to the simulation room, Gage had pointed out the controls, and Jerhyn had deciphered them fairly quickly, even managing to create a quick hotfix that allowed Sabre to use that scythe of his in the system. Useful guy.

It was so much like a video game Anaiya had had to laugh. Once everyone had settled into the simulation chairs, Fox wished them luck and activated the system. Anaiya and her team had found themselves in an absolutely perfect armory. It had _everything_. Well, almost everything. Most unfortunately, the system didn't support her HUD. That was a major letdown. But it had everything _else._ All they'd had to do was pull up an item from a screen, and _voila_, there it was.

Anaiya loved it.

Once they'd all gotten outfitted, each team selected a stage for the upcoming conflict, and one of the two was randomly chosen. Team Anaiya, as Ayame'd taken to calling them, had picked a bombed out, (obviously)abandoned space station for the setting (which, much to Anaiya's dismay, was a terrible choice for sniping), and their vote had won. And so that was where they found themselves, hunting Dagger in a simulated outpost.

Anaiya hadn't had this much fun in a long time.

It was an eye-opening experience for her; she wasn't aware she'd relied on her HUD so much. She was rather awkward with the panoramic view it constantly gave her, not to mention the map. None of them knew how large this place was. They'd seen a very brief diagram of the building, but no specifics. For all they knew, Dagger could be a mile away. But the vixen doubted the place was _quite _that big. It was much more likely that the rival team was a few hallways away.

The only draw-back was that everything looked pretty much the same. Same textures for the walls, same models for desks in each office section, etc. It was growing difficult to remember where they'd been already.

Team Anaiya filed into the new room, all with their weapons ready. Jerhyn had limited experience with firearms, so Anaiya had given him a small SMG with low recoil, the best she could do off the top of her head.

This next section was another generically furnished office space: broken cubicles, overturned desks and such. Nothing special. Jerhyn looked way too tense, as if he was expecting Dagger to jump out from under a desk. Scar was ready for anything, but not nervous. Outwardly, at least. Ayame was her usual idiotic self, grinning and waiting to blow someone to pieces with her shotguns. Anaiya was beginning to regret bringing her along. Quite a troublesome woman, she was. And Sabre was just...Sabre. There wasn't much to add.

Anaiya flicked a quick gesture to the group. _Next._ They moved up to the next door and repeated the same actions as for the last door.

Nothing. Again.

Suppressing a sigh, the vixen repeated her hand gestures, and the group moved up to the next door.

Upon flinging it open, the door revealed a long, dark hall, red emergency lights sputtering and flickering, alarms blaring quietly. About twenty feet ahead, the corridor turned sharply, and they could see nothing past it. Anaiya paused for a moment, then passed her rifle to Sabre, hands flicking again. She indicated herself, the motioned up the hall. _I'm scouting it._

Sabre nodded, hunkering down and bringing her rifle up to his shoulder, enabling him to cover the vixen as she made her way up the corridor.

Anaiya moved slowly and silently, a suppressed pistol leading her up, listening intently all the way. Once she reached the end of the hall, she peeked around the corner. The hall U-turned, probably into a mirrored section of the one her team had come from, which was a decidedly awkward setup. There was a five foot section of hall not visible from where Sabre covered her, and that was also true if there was anyone in his position on the other side. She shrugged to herself. Well, better for her.

The vixen flicked a hand backwards, then made a 'U' and held up five fingers, which Sabre was sure to pick up through the scope. _U turn. Back in five. _Sabre clicked his flashlight once in acknowledgement.

Anaiya inched her way along, pressed against the wall with her pistol held ready. She rounded the corner-

-and came face to face with a blaster held by Beaudoin, Dagger's fennec scout.

Neither of them wasted a moment on being surprised. They leaped forward immediately, both intent on silencing the other before a cry went up, which would alert both groups to their positions.

Anaiya knew she shouldn't be surprised, but she was slightly anyway. Beaudoin was better than she'd expected In retrospect, it was foolish of her to underestimate Dagger. They weren't the top team for nothing.

Anaiya lashed out with her gun, striking the fennec's curled fingers and dislodging the weapon from her grip. The sound of the pistol clattering to the floor was barely muffled by the dying alarms. Beaudoin, who Anaiya now realized had dropped the weapon on purpose, responded by punching out at the vixen. Anaiya took two hard blows, startled as she was. She staggered, and Beaudoin was on her, grappling for possession of Anaiya's gun. The vixen quickly recovered and, with a snarl, slammed the fennec sideways into the wall, not succeeding in breaking her grip. Beaudoin twisted Anaiya's wrist sharply, trying to make her drop the weapon. The vixen complied, releasing her pistol. Instead, she drew a knife and tossed it upward, making it look like she was going to catch it with her other hand. Someone who was inexperienced, or perhaps not good with their offhand, would try a move like that, to transfer the weapon to their more competent hand.

Beaudoin evidently bought it, because she released her grip on Anaiya's wrist and snatched the blade from the air before the vixen's rising hands could get to it. She began to bring the knife forward to gut Anaiya.

Unfortunately for the Dagger member, the knife was not Anaiya's target.

Her hands instead found their way higher, one grabbing the fennec under the chin, and the other near the top of her skull.

Beaudoin's eyes had a moment to widen in shock before Anaiya twisted viciously.

The dry _crack _of the fennec's neck echoed loudly, audible even over the weakly chirping alarms. She slumped immediately, the blade slipping from her grip. Anaiya caught Beaudoin's corpse and eased it to the floor, retrieving both pistols and her knife before hoisting the corpse and dragging it backward towards the rest of her team.

Sabre nodded in approval as Anaiya hauled the body into the office room, not taking his eyes, or the barrel of the rifle, from the end of the hall. Anaiya grinned in triumph. She held up her open hand to the other three, then curled a finger in. _One down. Five to go._

The alarm wailed one final time and went silent.

Anaiya unceremoniously stuffed the dead fox under a desk, handing the spare pistol to a slightly pale Jerhyn and retrieving her rifle from Sabre. Even if it was simulated, the cat apparently didn't see death much. Although, with all those video games, you'd think he was used to it...

A flash of motion out of the corner of her eye had the vixen spinning, her rifle coming up ready. Sabre lowered his hand from where he was pressed against the wall, gesturing down the hall. Anaiya indicated for everyone to stand clear, then poked her head around warily.

Something was moving at the end of the hall. Anaiya squinted, trying to see clearly.

It was a mirror. The vixen scowled and ducked back around the corner, mentally kicking herself for forgetting to bring a fiber optics cam. She hadn't bothered to transfer everything she normally carried to the VR machine, not expecting to use it. That was foolish.

She made a throat-slitting motion to Scar, Jerhyn, and Ayame, then pointed at the door. _Quiet. Incoming._ They nodded and stepped backwards. And Jerhyn's elbow connected squarely with a box of pens, scattering the instruments to the floor. The clatter sounded incredibly loud in the dead silent room.

Anaiya grimaced.

Shit.

There was a small, metallic noise from the hallway. Sabre and Anaiya, on either side of the doorway, looked at each other and recognized the sound at the same time.

_Grenade pin._

"Cover," Sabre hissed, spinning around to face into the hall, his gun coming up. Anaiya couldn't see what was going on, but the black armored vulpine braced his weapon and squeezed a shot off.

Over the thunderous report of the long barreled pistol, Anaiya saw a bright flash of light illuminate Sabre as he ducked back inside, his eyes closed tightly. Anaiya understood. He'd taken out the flashbang before it'd landed in the room they were in, which would have blinded them all and probably ended the game. Instead, he'd blinded himself and left the rest of them free. Now it was their turn to cover him, and strike back. Anaiya shouldered her rifle, preparing to whip it around the corner, when she heard something else, and paused. There was an odd whirring sound, like something spinning.

The vixen's eyes widened and she dove back behind cover on Sabre's side of the door as the minigun opened up on them. Scar howled with pain as a pair of rounds found their way into his leg an instant before he moved clear. Blood fountained from the wound.

The noise was deafening; it was one of those older, belt-fed, bullet chewing gatlings that were notoriously difficult to aim, due to their massive recoil. There were new, laser firing versions now, of course, but evidently someone preferred to kick it old school. _Someone_ being the only one on Dagger physically capable of wielding such an _un_wieldy weapon.

The bear, Penick.

Maybe he was still mad about his car?

Anaiya would have shrugged if she wasn't pressed up against the wall, watching as the bullets bit into the ground less than a foot from her, spraying her legs with shrapnel. She didn't really have time to worry about that now. Maybe later. Right now, she had to concentrate.

They weren't going to just sit there and wait her team out; they had some kind of plan. Anaiya was fairly certain no one was sneaking up the hall under the cover of the big weapon, because the whole corridor was positively saturated with rounds. She didn't dare risk poking her head around to check, though, or tossing a grenade. There was a very good possibility she'd either get her hand blown off by a bullet, or the grenade would get hit and detonate in her face. Even in a VR, she didn't much like either option.

So, what was it Dagger was doing, then? If not from that direction...

Anaiya swore.

Then from behind.

"Watch the back," she shouted to Scar, who shook his head, grimacing as he tried to stem the blood flow from his wounds. He was obviously not able to clearly hear her. The vixen activated her radio impatiently. "Watch the back way," she repeated, "they're trying to flank!" The wolverine nodded to her, then reached over and grabbed Jerhyn, probably telling him the same thing Anaiya had instructed him to do. The cat nodded shakily, hefting his SMG as he ran back to the other door and readied the weapon.

They were in a bad spot, true, but Anaiya had an idea. While there were some advantages to using the bullet-fed machine guns, their were also drawbacks, and one of those was overheating, which occurred far more quickly in those types than in laser types. All she had to do was be patient, and perhaps she'd be able to even the playing field. If this didn't work, they would have to fall back, and soon. Sabre's vision should clear soon; he was already shaking his head slightly and blinking rapidly, trying to clear them.

Sure enough, the gunshots ceased abruptly. The vixen knew she had but an instant to act. Penick would be just rising from his bracing crouch, moving back behind cover and allowing his weapon to cool down. Gage or someone else would probably be covering him, so she'd have to go in and out very fast.

Anaiya whirled, shoving her rifle around the corner and firing rapidly, spitting lasers down the hall. She heard a yell of pain and moved back behind cover, but not before a retaliating shot was heard and her upper arm split open. The vixen gritted her teeth; it still hurt, even if she knew it wasn't real.

"Ayame," she spat, shrugging her arm to make sure the limb could still function, "blow us a way out!"

Said lupine perked up immediately from where she'd been pouting, obviously disappointed she hadn't removed anyone's limbs yet. Ayame turned towards the wall, aiming her shotguns with a big smile. She opened up, the fully automatic weapons shredding the metal wall. Soon enough, the continuous rain of lasers had created a large hole, the edges molten and dripping. Anaiya frowned. She had meant with an explosive, but that worked too, apparently.

The hole led to a conference room, with, fortunately, two exits, one on each end of the room. The vixen shoved Sabre through first, the vulpine still recovering from the flashbang to the face. She followed behind him, then turned in time to see Jerhyn stumble away from the door, raising his weapon. A quartet of lasers punched through his chest, riddling the cat with holes. He pitched backward, SMG spraying wildly.

"Behind!" Scar shouted, assault rifle chattering as he fired through the doorway from where he was slumped against the wall, trying vainly to stop his bleeding. The rapid thunder of Ayame's shotguns joined him. The whir of the minigun revving again jerked Anaiya's head up. Scar shrugged at her, the shooed her away and dropped the magazine from his rifle, shoving a fresh one into the slot. If this were real, of course, she'd never leave him behind, but this _was_ a competition. They had to win. Ayame had forgotten about everything except her guns. She must have remembered it was a VR; that or she'd forgotten what cover was. The lupine simply dove into the hallway, her shotguns flaring over and over. Anaiya saw Rhiain, who must have been the one, or one of the ones, to sneak up behind them slump to the floor, his face and chest torn to shreds. Without wasting any more time, Anaiya and the recovered Sabre took off, separating to each take a different door. Anaiya risked a glance over her shoulder and watched Scar jerk violently, the minigun fire quickly reducing him to little more than a bloody mess. Without waiting to see what became of Ayame, Anaiya tore through the door, whipping her pistol out of it's holster and blowing the lights out as she ran. She knew Sabre wasn't doing the same on his route; he knew the plan.

The two met up after only a minute or two, turning dark corners to find themselves face to face. Somehow managing not to shoot each other from the surprise, Anaiya tossed her suppressed pistol to Sabre as he threw his weapon to her. The vixen holstered the weapon in the near blackness and laced her fingers together, waiting. Sabre holstered her pistol and stepped into her boost. Anaiya threw the vulpine at the same time he jumped, and Sabre flew upwards, bracing himself against the wall and ceiling directly above the door Anaiya had come through. The vixen ran to the opposite end of the corridor, drawing Sabre's pistol. She stopped as she passed the corner, then peeked around it, weapon ready. She couldn't even see Sabre in his position over the door. His fur and armor blended perfectly with the (lack of) light.

They didn't have to wait long. Soon after the shots fell silent, Ley and Hart inched their way around the door frame, rifles raised. They spotted the vixen at the end of the hall and snapped their weapons onto her, fingers tightening on the triggers.

Anaiya smiled.

Sabre fell from his position on the ceiling, landing directly between the two. His scythe activated with a crackling hiss, and the orange blade swung. Before either soldier had a chance to move, Sabre had neatly bisected Hart, the raccoon's upper torso falling to the floor with a thump, his legs following. Ley opened her mouth, maybe to scream, maybe to curse, as she whipped her rifle around. Just as she brought the weapon to bear on Sabre, the black vulpine's hand sprang up to her face, Anaiya's suppressed pistol in his grip.

Sabre didn't even bother to look at Ley as his weapon spat a red laser into her open mouth, blowing a hole clean out the back of her head. Not really clean at all, though. Rather messy. The leopard trembled for a moment, then keeled over backwards.

_Two to go._

The black vulpine reached down and fired a few quick bursts from the fallen woman's rifle. Once Gage and Penick heard, falsely, that their teammates were in combat, they'd rush to help. Anaiya drew a second pistol and fired it a few times, to finish the charade. Sabre's pistol was still pointed down the other hall.

Anaiya heard rushing footsteps approaching from behind her and turned her head, still firing the second pistol. The second the remaining Dagger members came around the bend, they'd be right in her sights.

And so obligingly did they come, too. They'd obviously made the same mistake she had; underestimating the opposition. If Gage hadn't considered her team less team-oriented before the start, the fiasco in the office room would have sealed the deal. He wouldn't think they'd be capable of such an elaborate illusion now, with just two members left.

Anaiya allowed herself a small smile.

She and Sabre worked fairly well together.

Penick rounded the corner first, a shotgun leveled. He must have ditched the minigun, and it was obviously him she had shot earlier, for there was a bloodied bandage around his middle. Probably nothing serious, since he was still moving.

But that would soon be rectified.

The bear's eyes widened in surprise as Anaiya squeezed the trigger. Sabre's pistol roared and a blue bolt of energy spat from the barrel, striking the startled man in the chest and hurling him backward, dead before he hit the ground.

She heard Gage curse, and then the _ping_ of a grenade pin. _She_ cursed this time as the explosive came around the corner. The vixen kicked it back, grinning slightly.

The smile promptly fell off her face as Gage also kicked it back. The fuse had to be almost done by now. With an angry snarl, Anaiya threw herself around the corner, firing. Her first shot glanced Gage's leg, and the second blew his rifle in half.

The grenade went off behind her, and she stumbled. Not wasting a moment, Gage whacked her in the face with his ruined gun, then kicked the weapon from her grip. Anaiya growled and rolled backward, snatching up the half of the gun Gage had dropped, the stock and hand grip. The vixen swung it like a tonfa, expertly beating down Gage's defenses one hit at a time.

Dagger's captain must have guessed he couldn't beat her the way things were going, so he simply dropped his shattered weapon and barreled into her, carrying the vixen to the ground. Being physically stronger than her, Gage maneuvered himself until he had her legs trapped beneath him, then seized her throat and squeezed.

Anaiya choked, but she didn't panic. Carefully gauging the distance, the vixen managed to get an arm up and began pushing his head back, feeling blindly for his eyes. Gage leaned back slightly to escape her fingers, but did not release his grip.

Perfect.

Anaiya's legs whipped up to wrap around the vulpine's neck, and, with a mighty heave, she threw him off. Gage smashed into the floor and rolled. They both jumped back to his feet instantly. Gage charged the vixen again.

Anaiya snorted and raised the pistol she'd picked up. "Surprise," she said to the stunned vulpine. "What, you thought I'd play _fair? _A good ol' fashioned fist fight?"

The vixen snorted and blew his face away.

The world around her shimmered, then dissolved.

-

"Awesome!" Ayame crowed. "We won!"

"No thanks to you," Anaiya said dryly, unhooking herself from the VR interface. "All you did was get shot."

Ayame apparently had no comeback for that, as she pouted and fell silent.

"You did good, kid," Scar told her, ruffling her hair playfully, like used to so long ago.

Anaiya shrugged out of his reach, smirking. "Me and Sabre carried the team there. You guys dropped the ball big time." She considered. "We were in a bad spot," she allowed, "and nerdy over there isn't really meant for this sort of work, so I'll let it slide, this time."

Out of the corner of her eye, the vixen saw Gage and his team approaching. She turned to face them, a tiny grin playing around her lips. "So," she asked wryly, "what'd you think?"

Gage paused a moment. "You had some mistakes, but so did we," he said grudgingly. "Nice. Maybe you guys aren't so incompetent after all."

"I did warn you about unconventional tactics," Sabre murmured.

Anaiya shrugged at Gage. "Maybe not. Maybe it's just you that's incompetent."

Gage glared at her.

Off to the side, Ayame muttered to Jerhyn. "I've seen this movie, dude. This it _totally_ the part where he kisses her. I know it."

"_Ayame!_"

-

Raaze stood in his private quarters aboard the _Hand of Vengeance_, his tail flicking idly. The jaguar stared out into the blackness of space, his mind working.

Everything had gone according to plan. Anaiya's mutiny was not completely unexpected; in fact, the feline had designed one of the outcomes using that variable. With the data recovered from _Corneria's Gambit,_ his virologists had been able to construct a completely effective anti-virus. He had already inoculated himself, his officers, and his scientists. There wasn't enough for all the soldiers. They'd have to how a hazmat suit was sufficient. Now, there was only one final step to take before it began.

But that would have to wait, as his computer trilled sharply. The jaguar turned his eyes downward to read the message that scrawled across his screen:

_Behind schedule, are we? You had best hurry up, or you'll miss the window._

Raaze scowled. Ishanah, of course. Again. No matter. Ishanah did not matter in the long run. Partners came and went.

Raaze activated his com. "Shran," he said. "It's time. Take the case and bring it to the designated location on Corneria. I will give you further instructions when you arrive."

There was a low hiss of acknowledgement, and the line went dead.

Raaze turned back to stare out the view port, his yellow eyes glittering.

"The first move has been made. Let's see how you counter, Fox McCloud; I do so enjoy our games."

-

Nothing to say. See you next chapter.


	11. Chapter Nine, Part One: Stratagem

Slight changes. See bottom.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya and her team are mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. No using them without permission, got it?

-

Chapter Nine, Part One: Stratagem

-A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory.

**Arthur Golden**

Blood dripped slowly from Shran's claw as he prowled along the dim hallway. Emergency lights spun rhythmically, the red glow throwing the monstrous lizard into sharp relief. The unsullied silver case he carried in one hand seemed out of place among the black and orange of his scales, and the crimson blood spattered across his front and claw. The lizard bared his teeth in anticipation.

Finally, it had begun. Lord Raaze's plans had been set into motion, and Shran could _kill_ now. Indiscriminate murder, just like the good times of his service under Lord Andross. The Cornerian soldiers whose blood stained his claws were no challenge, but not all the fun of killing was from such a battle. Sometimes he just wanted to feel their blood run through his hands, and watch the terror in their eyes as they died.

Shran smiled.

The communications jam they'd dropped before invading this facility wouldn't prevent discovery of their attack. Soon, the lack of communications would lead to questions, and then to alarm as the base failed to respond. It had merely bought them some more time to prepare.

The giant lizard's smile fell as he watched the Venomian soldiers rush about, trying to set everything up as quickly as possible.

"Faster," he hissed, and they all redoubled their efforts, whitening in fear under the lizard's stare.

Shran settled back, satisfied. It wouldn't be too long now; Cornerian reinforcements would come. His smile returned as he glanced down at the silver case.

They would be in for a surprise.

-

Fox rolled to the side, dodging the blow that slammed into the ground he'd just occupied. Sweating and gasping, he managed to raise his weapon to block the incoming swipe. Unfortunately, the attack tore the weapon from his hands, leaving him defenseless. The vulpine closed his eyes in defeat.

Then grunted as something smacked him sharply upside the head.

"Not terrible," Anaiya informed him, "but not that good, either. We need to spend more time on your footwork, and you've got to _hold on to your weapon_!" She rapped his knuckles with her practice sword. "Without it, you're done. Zero chance. _Don't_ let go of it."

"Yes, mom," he grumbled, then yelped as Anaiya whacked him again.

"Well, if I'm your mom, then I really shouldn't be doing this," she said, then leaned forward and kissed him. They pulled away after a moment.

"Yeah," Fox said, "it would be kinda creepy if you were my mom and you did that." He stood, shaking his smacked hand.

He and Anaiya were in the gym aboard the _Great Fox_, sparring, as was their newest custom. The vixen had flat out told him he was a joke outside of the Arwing and set out to rectify that. And by 'rectify', she meant beat him with everything from a sparring sword to her fists. And she hit _hard._

"Not to mention age differences," the vixen went on, grimacing, "that would just be weird." She blinked. "That was a strange tangent. Anyway, so yeah, you're improving. Slowly, but improvement is good. We'll do some more hand to hand now, and then-"

Anaiya paused, then stared off at nothing, like she always did when reading something on her HUD, which she was hardly ever without.

"Oh," she said simply. "That's neat." Her gaze refocused on Fox. "Change of plans. We're going shopping."

Fox cocked his head. "Oh yeah?" He asked, slightly amused, "what for?"

The vixen had already tossed her practice blade back on the rack and was walking out the door. "Gotta pick up Gage's order, and a few of my own things," she threw over her shoulder, "and we'll get you a gun, too."

Fox scratched his head and opened his mouth, then realized she wasn't waiting for him and hurried out the door. The vixen was a ways down the corridor already, walking briskly and grinning about something. "Hold up," Fox called to her, picking up his pace. Not surprisingly, she didn't hold up, but he caught her anyway. "Now, what were you saying? Gage's what?"

"Order," Anaiya repeated, "I bought Dagger some HUDs, and they just came in. Got myself some stuff, too."

"Oh," Fox said. He was silent for a moment as they continued walking. "Do you really think it's..._safe _to leave those four alone here?"

Anaiya shrugged. "They'll be fine. Jerhyn'll find something to tinker with, Ayame'll probably still be sleeping, Scar'll be reading a book somewhere, and Sabre," she shrugged again, "he's a robot. He'll manage."

Fox nodded slowly, slightly bemused. "Okay. So, where are we going now?"

The vixen's grin widened. "Gage's room," she informed him. "Gotta bring him with us."

Well, that made sense, but something else didn't.

"Why are you smiling like that," Fox demanded suspiciously.

Her eyes widened innocently. "Like what?"

"Like you're about to do something mean."

Anaiya waved a hand dismissively. "Perish the thought. I'm not going to do anything."

Yeah, bull. He didn't buy that for a second.

"Didn't you get enough enjoyment out of beating Gage already," he asked wearily.

The vixen snorted. "Yeah, beat him," she muttered. "'Cause he thinks I'm an idiot."

Fox frowned. "What?'

Anaiya glanced at him. "He underestimated me horribly in the gym the first time," she elaborated, "and tried to trick me in the VR."

"Trick you? How?"

The vixen's eyes were narrow. "Never you mind. It's none of your concern."

Fox blinked after her, then shook his head and followed.

Soon enough, he found himself outside of the room he'd lent Gage, at the same time wary and morbidly interested in whatever the vixen had planned.

Anaiya rapped sharply on the door a few times, paused, then repeated.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," came Gage's muffled voice from inside. "Damn woman" came the barely discernible mutter they probably weren't suppose to hear.

Anaiya's eyes narrowed.

"You _are_ the only one that knocks like that," Fox told her apologetically.

Gage's door opened and the vulpine appeared, scowling. Anaiya grinned brightly at him.

"Your gear's in," she told him, then she frowned and peered over his shoulder. Gage turned his head to follow her gaze, perplexed.

The vixen balled her fist with a vicious grin and, as Gage turned back to face her, punched him square in the nose.

The vulpine grunted and staggered back a step, his hand flying instinctively to touch his nose, which dripped a spot of blood. He stared flatly at the laughing vixen as she turned a somersault and ran off down the hall, shouting back over her shoulder, "see you at the hangar!"

"You hit like a girl," Gage called after her as she turned the corner. Anaiya's head poked back around, and she glared for a moment before vanishing again. Gage snorted, wiping the blood from his face and staring askance at it, as if he was confused about where it'd come from.

"Wasn't really expecting that," he said ruefully. "But then, with her, I guess I should have."

Fox chuckled. "You're gonna have to watch your back now," he pointed out, "you insulted her."

"I said she hit like a girl. She _is_ a girl."

"Yeah, but all three of us know that's not how you meant it."

Gage shrugged. "Oh well. I'll be sure to watch out for her." He shook his head absently, then started walking down the hall, following Anaiya. "You coming with us?"

Fox nodded. "Yep. She wants to buy me a gun."

Gage raised an eyebrow. "Got quite a bit of money to toss around, doesn't she," he observed.

"I guess so," Fox said with a shrug, falling into step beside his friend. "So, what's been going on?"

"Pepper finally released the news about that virus to government circulation. It's," he grimaced, "not going over well. The Katinan government's furious. They didn't know what we had on that base there; the Cornerian military told them it was something different. Katina's expelled all Cornerian government personnel, minus the embassy. Relations are...tense. If that virus gets released, Katina's going to blame us. I dunno what's going to happen."

Fox sighed. "Why didn't he just tell them in the first place?"

"I'm guessing it's because he thought he'd get this kind of backlash; there would be a lot of pressure on him to do this, or do that, with it."

"Well, it's happening now. Hope he can deal with it."

Gage nodded in agreement, noticeably slowing his pace as they approached the door to the hangar. Fox smirked. Dagger's captain didn't want another bloody nose, apparently.

The culprit of said injury was lounging on the hood of a hovercar, idly tossing a knife into the air.

"I'm driving," she said immediately, catching the blade and rolling it along her knuckles. Her eyes dared them to contradict her.

Neither vulpine tried.

Anaiya winked. "Good." She jumped off her perch, the knife vanishing in a neat slight of hand performance. "Ready to go?"

"You going to bite me this time," Gage grumbled, sliding into the passenger seat and ignoring Fox's pointed look.

Anaiya smirked as Fox got into the back of the car, muttering to himself. "I don't think so," she said after a moment of deliberation. "Maybe I'll just kick you." She waggled her eyebrows.

Gage glanced at her. "So, what was that for, anyway," he asked.

Anaiya's smiled dimmed. "You _know _why," she told him.

Gage's lips tightened slightly, and he inclined his head. The vixen shrugged and climbed into the driver's side, turning the vehicle on and pulling out of the hangar.

"So I was telling Fox," she said conversationally, glancing at her stoic passenger, "I'm planning on buying him a weapon. Any ideas?"

"It's your money," Gage replied neutrally.

Anaiya snorted. "Obviously, but I was asking for your input on the _style_ of weapon."

The vulpine captain turned to glance back at Fox for a moment, then faced forward again. "Something on the lower caliber end," he told Anaiya. "For his wrists."

The vixen nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking," she agreed.

"Hey," Fox interjected indignantly.

"I was planning to go for one on the lower power end of things," Anaiya continued, ignoring Fox, "you know, so he's got more rounds left over after he misses."

Gage inclined his head. "Probably a good idea. Extras are always useful."

Fox clicked his tongue in irritation and settled back in his seat. "Fine then," he muttered.

The rest of the trip was spent in similar fashion; Fox being ignored by Gage and Anaiya, who chatted almost amiably about how horrible Fox was at firing a weapon and comparing gun knowledge. He'd stopped listening when they started arguing about the lightest, most durable grain of battery casing. Really, who cared about which model of some assault rifle had a better distribution of laser particles per blast? What did that even mean, anyway?

When Anaiya finally pulled their vehicle to a stop outside of the shop, Fox stepped out and slammed his door with more force than was strictly necessary. He stared flatly at Gage and Anaiya, who were both grinning like idiots. The vixen waved him forward cheerfully as she pushed the door open.

The far too loud music that slammed down on his eardrums as he stepped inside made Fox wrinkle his brow in irritation. Anaiya, evidently unaffected by the noise, greeted the large bull behind the counter with a strange little wave; her ring finger and pinky were slightly curled, as if she were about to make a fist, and the remaining digits were outstretched. Fox vaguely recalled seeing her use the gesture before, but hadn't paid much attention to it.

"Heya, Shaun," Anaiya said, walking up to the counter.

The bull glanced up, his slightly annoyed expression brightening. "Oh, hey Ann. I wasn't expecting you to come so soon. I've got your stuff in the back."

"Okay, cool," the vixen said. "Also, one last minute addition." She jerked her thumb at Fox. "Getting this one a weapon."

Shaun glanced over at Fox and squinted for a moment. "Ah, Fox McCloud," he grinned slightly, "guess those Arwings don't count for everything, do they?" He nodded to himself before Fox could reply. "Yeah. Okay, so I'll go grab your stuff while you lot pick out a nice weapon. Feel free to switch anything around; you know where the keys are."

Anaiya nodded. "Alright, thanks Shaun." As the bull bustled away into the back, she turned to Fox, extending her hand. "Lemme see your gun."

Fox blinked at her. "I didn't bring it."

Anaiya squinted incredulously at him. "You didn't bring it? You mean you don't bring it everywhere?"

Fox shook his head slowly. "You do?" He asked.

The vixen let her head fall back with a sigh, and he heard her neck pop. "Of _course _I bring a weapon everywhere. Seriously, you don't bring it all the time? What's wrong with you?"

"I wear it in the Arwing," Fox said defensively, "but why would I carry one everywhere? I've never really needed to have it." He looked at Gage for support. The soldier shrugged at him and opened his coat, revealing the sleek black grip of a handgun under his left shoulder. Fox rolled his eyes and turned back to Anaiya, who looked like she was trying to decided whether to bash his head in or her own. Tough decision.

"Well then," he said irritably, "where's _yours_?"

The vixen snorted at him and turned around, lifting her shirt slightly to give him a clear view of her muscled back and the pistol shoved into her waistband. She turned back to face him and opened her vest, shaking another holstered pistol at him. Not content just to prove him wrong a little bit, Anaiya held out her right arm and flicked her wrist. With a metallic rasp, a short blade extended, which she waved at him. All the while, Gage's calculating eyes were noting the position of each weapon.

"Okay, okay, I get it," Fox said in annoyance as she reached into her boot. "No need to pull any more out."

Anaiya clicked her tongue. "Fine. Let's get started then." She began pulling random handguns from the racks and tossing them, unloaded of course, to the vulpine. "Tell me which one feels best."

"Feels best?" He echoed questioningly.

"Yeah." The vixen gesticulated impatiently. "Like, in your hand. For a grip."

"Oh."

Fox hefted the first pistol, trying out the weight. He frowned. He couldn't place it, but something just didn't fit right. He put the gun down and reached for the next. Gage watched somewhat disinterestedly from the far wall.

Fox continued to weigh each of the weapons carefully, but there was always something wrong with them. Either slightly too big for his hand, too small, an awkward grip...

He was just beginning to wonder if this was all a waste of time when he felt the perfect one. Almost like with the wrong ones, he couldn't place it, but this one just felt right.

"Okay," he called to Anaiya, who was fiddling with something on a bench nearby, "this is the one."

The vixen glanced up. "Oh. Okay." She stood and walked over to him with an armful of pieces, peering over the vulpine's shoulder at his weapon choice before reaching around and taking it from him. Anaiya deftly disassembled the gun and laid the pieces out in neat, organized piles. "Now," she said imperiously, "back off and watch while I put this together."

Fox did as she commanded, watching with a small frown as she fitted random, at least to him, pieces together. It seemed like the kind of thing Slippy would be into; Fox really had no idea what she was doing beyond the initial concept. A sideways glance at Gage showed that Dagger's captain had an idea, judging by the more interested look on his face and the way he leaned forward slightly.

Anaiya was muttering to herself as she fiddled with the soon to-be weapon. "Never has the _good_ parts," she groused, holding up a pistol slide and staring at it in irritation. "I _did_ tell him that CMI standard is useless. I know I did. _Gotta_ get ArmaCore." She clicked her tongue in annoyance and tossed the offending component aside. Fox chose not to comment on her behavior. She was doing him a favor, after all.

The vixen stared at nothing for a moment, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Well," she mused, "it's not like I don't have spares or anything."

Without talking to herself any further, Anaiya drew the pistol from the back of her waistband and removed the slide, shoving the now useless weapon into her hip pouch. The vixen then continued her assembly of Fox's weapon, with the addition of her own part.

Suddenly, she blinked and stopped what she was doing.

"How did I forget to do that," she asked no one in particular. The vixen disassembled the weapon quickly and opened up the circuitry and computer chip.

"Now," she muttered, "let's add a few things. Momentum to energy's a little off, so there'll be a little recoil, dunno how I did that..."

Okay, maybe she was still talking to herself.

"Energy density per cubed centimeter's up, I'm good at _that_ now. So _ha_, screw you, plasma blooming..."

Gage really did seem to know what language she was speaking. He had moved a bit closer and was nodding slightly at some of her words.

"...and who needs superconductors with this little trick, forget those crazy power requirements..."

Fox was well and truly lost now.

A few minutes and much tinkering and muttering later, Anaiya proudly held up the completed pistol.

It looked...

Pretty ordinary, actually.

It was black, as he'd imagined it would be. The pistol was larger than his previous one; the barrel in particular showed a visible extension. There was a different type of sight replacing the iron sights, as well as a flashlight attachment on the rail below the barrel. Other than that, not much of a difference from his old weapon, or any gun, for that matter.

Not that he'd tell her that.

The vixen handed him his new weapon, along with a holster, and he immediately frowned. "It's _way_ top-heavy," he said. How could she not have noticed that?

Anaiya blinked at him, then smirked and lifted her hand, waving the missing magazine at him.

Oh. That would do it.

"Gotcha," Fox said, his face warming slightly, "so, what'd you do to it?"

The vixen launched right into the explanation excitedly. "Well, I changed the energy density per cubic centimeter to get rid of that annoying blooming, and-"

Fox held up a hand. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said flatly.

Anaiya clicked her tongue, but seemed too happy to really be mad at him. "Basically, I made it so the lasers go farther, hit harder, use less energy, which means fewer reloads by the way, switched in a dot and bar sight, and threw a flashlight mod on there." She thought for a moment. "Yeah, that's about it. Now you've just got to learn how to shoot it."

"I can shoot fine, thanks very little," he said loftily, looking at the weapon closer. It certainly didn't _look_ like she'd done all that, but he'd take her word for it. "Thanks a lot. How much do I owe you?"

Anaiya blinked at him again. "Owe me?" She frowned. "Oh. Money." Her hand waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Shaun'll give me a discount, and I've got more store credit saved up here than I can count."

"Okay, then. Thanks."

She smiled at him. "You said that already. Now, I'll go get the rest of our stuff, and we'll be out of here."

She waved that weird little wave again and disappeared into the back room. Fox looked at his new weapon one last time and shoved it into the holster, which was buckled around his waist.

"She knows her stuff," Gage said quietly. Probably so she wouldn't hear him.

Fox snorted. "I didn't understand a word she said. You?"

Gage shrugged. "I know how my weapons work, yeah. For the most part I got what she was saying, but I doubt I'd be able to rig a gun that way. Takes a very deep understanding of the mechanics to pull off something like that." Dagger's captain tilted his head slightly, as though just remembering something. "Guess it _is_ her life."

"Huh?"

Gage waved him off. "Forget it." The vulpine paused suddenly, and his hand shot to his ear. Probably a radio. "Go ahead." He jerked his head in a sharp nod a moment later and muttered a crisp "Got it."

Fox raised an eyebrow at the vulpine as he moved to the door. "Something up?"

Gage nodded curtly, his eyes flashing. "A research station's been destroyed. We had a comm blackout not too long ago, and sent people to investigate. Just got word; it's been vaporized. Seems the self-destruct was activated somehow. And now we've just got a report that there's been a similar blackout _here_, on Corneria. Let's go."

Fox opened his mouth to speak, and Anaiya emerged from the back room, toting a small bag. She stopped immediately at the sight of their faces.

"What's wrong?"

"We're leaving," Gage told her tersely, "trouble in paradise."

The vixen nodded, shifting instantly from Laid Back Anaiya to Cold and Ruthless Anaiya. Fox could see the change in her eyes. It was...

Unnerving.

Anaiya glanced over her shoulder at the large bull watching them curiously. "Put it on my account, Shaun," she called to him, already half way out of the store.

The bull nodded and raised a hand in farewell as the vixen and Fox hurried after Gage.

Shaun looked worried.

"What's going down," Anaiya asked Gage, sliding into the passenger seat of the car without argument, just as Fox entered the back seat. They both realized this was no time for playful bickering.

"Emergency meeting with General Pepper; Dagger's coming too. Well, part of us. There's been a comm blackout in one of the research facilities here on Corneria, incidentally the one that worked on that virus."

Anaiya clicked her tongue and leaned back in her seat. "Figures."

Gage nodded. "You know who that means it is." He proceeded to fill her in on the details he'd already told Fox.

The vixen nodded, staring distractedly out the window. "Okay. What's the team deployment?"

"I've got Ley and Penick waiting for us. After we get the all-clear, we'll head in." He gave Anaiya a measuring look. "Your team can take the opposite entrance."

The vixen nodded again absently. "How'd they get in without anyone noticing?"

Gage grunted. "That's what I was wondering. It wouldn't be too difficult to get onto the _planet_ undetected, but I don't know how they got a comm jammer up in the base before anyone called it in."

Anaiya agreed silently, squinting at nothing. "I'll need a schematic of the place. Whatever the entrances look like, my team'll go in the front; you sneak around some other way while the distraction is going down."

Fox inhaled sharply, and she glanced at him once before turning away. That didn't sound like a really good idea to him. Not one bit.

Gage glanced at her out of the corner of his eye for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

Well, that made one of him.

The vixen smirked at him. It didn't reach her eyes. "You're okay sending a woman in ahead of you? Or is it just me?"

Gage remained silent. Anaiya snorted quietly and tapped a key on her keypad. After a moment she spoke, her posture relaxing slightly.

"Yeah, Scar? It's me, obviously. Round up Sabre and Ayame, and Jerhyn if you _must_. Got a base that needs busting open...'Where are they'? I have no idea, look around. Ayame's probably still on the ship somewhere. Shouldn't be too hard to find; listen for the insane giggling. Sabre's..." She paused for a moment. "...Probably hanging from the ceiling somewhere, like a vampire...Yes he _is_. At least, he might as well be. Whatever, just grab them and your gear, and mine please, and meet me at..."

Gage rattled off a set of coordinates.

"...Never mind, I'll just send you the coordinates. Be there two minutes ago, if you please."

Anaiya touched a few letters in quick succession, the nodded, evidently satisfied, and leaned back.

"So," Gage said slowly, a slight frown on his face, "do you have a plan besides just running in there?"

"Not really," the vixen said carelessly, "who needs plans?"

Dagger's captain stared at her for a moment, then shook his head in annoyance. "That's not funny."

Anaiya shrugged. "I know. You bought it for a moment, though."

"Because you might actually be stupid enough to do something like that, yeah. Or you just figured they wouldn't shoot you, for some reason."

The vixen's head turned, and Fox didn't like the look in her eye one bit. "Perhaps" was all she said, but the ominous glint remained.

As was usual for them after a conversation like that, the group remained silent for the rest of the trip, Gage stopping the vehicle with complete silence permeating the car. Anaiya exited absently, her fingers flying across her wrist keypad. She followed behind Fox and Gage, her brow furrowed in apparent annoyance. Fox was immediately reminded of the last time they'd gone to see Pepper. This same thing had happened; Anaiya lagged behind and ignored them, lost in her own little whatever-it-was, and he and Gage spoke about the important things. Only this time, the two vulpines were silent. They knew next to nothing about what was up. Not much, if any, use in speculating. Making guesses would just up tensions, which they definitely didn't need now.

The woman who sat at the desk in front of Pepper's office was the same one as the last time they'd visited, although she'd looked considerably less harried then. She waved them in distractedly, either too busy to question Anaiya's presence or just accepting her as part of the entourage. The trio passed by the pair of armed guards, both of whom were watching Anaiya warily.

Pepper, while looking haggard and worn, wasn't hung over this time, at least. Which was probably why he noticed Anaiya right away.

The general stiffened, his eyes flashing in a very uncharacteristic way. "Fox, Gage," he said tightly, "who is this?"

"I would expect you to remember me, general. I was here just a few days ago." Her voice was cool, but perfectly respectful.

The strange glint in her eyes remained.

"I'm part of the mercenary facet to this mission," the vixen continued, keeping her tone and eyes level, "recently added."

"Then why," Pepper said tightly, "wasn't I informed of this?"

"You hired Starfox," Anaiya reminded him, "you didn't buy them. The decisions on personnel belong to Fox, not you. He isn't required to tell you of every change he makes to his team."

Technically, she was completely right. You just didn't normally backtalk a Cornerian general, particularly if he was paying you.

Pepper obviously agreed, for his nostrils flared in anger. "I think he _is_ required to tell me such developments when the mission he's working on relates to galactic security."

Anaiya shrugged. "Everyone knows already anyway. Who am I going to tell?"

The general looked ready to burst. Fox intervened before he threw the vixen out. That or mauled her. "In any case, general, this isn't the time for that. Urgent business and stuff, right?"

Pepper's heated gaze lingered on the, apparently, relaxed vixen for a moment, then flicked to Gage. Dagger's captain eyed Anaiya once, then nodded curtly to the general. Only then did the hound dog turn to Fox.

"Right, right. We need to move fast. We're not sure what they're planning, but it most likely has to do with the virus."

Anaiya snorted softly. Pepper turned to glare at her for a moment before getting back on track.

"_Corneria's Gambit,_ the destroyed station, was in charge of research on the Ragnarok virus. The base they've invaded was a branch of that division. We don't know if the enemy acquired some information they needed there, and that's why they're launching this strike, but we have to assume the virus is fully functional. Your teammates are waiting downstairs, Captain Birse. An assault force is being scrambled as we speak, but you have first strike. Starfox will provide support, of course." His gaze turned back to Anaiya. "And where do you fit into this?"

"I'm the distraction," the vixen replied easily.

Pepper blinked. "Distraction?"

Anaiya nodded. "Yeah. Basically, I draw the fire while Gage gets the job done."

"That sounds..." The general frowned.

Anaiya snorted. "Suicidal?" She shrugged. "Never really been a problem for me." The vixen smirked. "No one else seems to have a problem with it either."

Gage looked slightly uncomfortable for a moment, but steeled himself immediately. Fox knew why: Gage had seen that Anaiya was competent, so he shouldn't be worried about her performing her job well. Maybe he was just concerned for her wellbeing, like Fox himself was.

The vulpine observed Gage for a moment.

No. That wasn't it. Gage didn't trust her. He wasn't fully sure she'd come through for them.

Fox knew he should feel indignant, and jump to Anaiya's defense. The truth was, he might be right. Fox trusted his old friend, but she wasn't being entirely honest with them, even now. Something just didn't fit.

There would be time to deal with that later, however. Right now, there were things to be done.

Pepper nodded slowly. "Whatever you have to do. _Don't_ let them release this onto our planet. We don't know if they have the virus or not, but it's a safe assumption. If you can acquire a sample, by all means do so. If not, make sure no one else does either."

Gage saluted crisply. "Yessir."

"Very well. Dismissed." The general turned to Fox. "We'll talk later."

His eyes flicked to Anaiya, a gesture that didn't slip past the vixen. Her lip curled, but she remained silent.

Fox waved a quick goodbye to the old dog, then he, Gage and Anaiya all turned back to the door and strode out. There was a slight spring to Anaiya's and Gage's steps; they had an objective now.

The hounds were released.

They met Ley and Penick in the reception area, the two Dagger members waving them over. Fox, Gage, and Anaiya paused before heading over. Gage turned to Fox.

"Go get your Arwing," he instructed. "You're flying cover, if it's necessary. I'll take her" he jerked his thumb at Anaiya "over with my team."

Fox nodded. "Okay. See you there." He turned and embraced Anaiya tightly. "Don't get yourself killed," he whispered in her ear.

The vixen smiled softly. "Don't get yourself shot down," she returned, squeezing him back. "I'll be fine. Go on."

Fox looked at her, then glanced at Gage out of the corner of his eye. Dagger's captain was speaking quietly to Ley and Penick. "When this is over today," Fox said seriously, "we're gonna have that talk."

Anaiya's smile dimmed slightly, but she inclined her head in an affirmative. "There's a lot to tell," she agreed. "See you around."

She waved goodbye, then turned to Gage and his team, dismissing him. Fox stared at her back for a moment and bit his lip.

Something was going to go wrong, he knew it.

The vulpine turned uneasily and walked back to his vehicle, thinking hard.

-

Gage watched Fox and Anaiya say their goodbyes, his lips compressed in a thin line.

He did not like this one bit.

The vixen hadn't done anything overt against them, or anything at all, for that matter. Her assistance in finding information on their targets was incredibly fortunate, and the HUDs she'd gotten for his team would help tremendously. She was volunteering her team to draw fire from them so they could accomplish the mission.

But he still didn't like it.

She was lying through her teeth about a number of things, and didn't seem to care that he knew.

Anaiya sauntered over to them, her gait smooth and easy. But he knew she was wound as tightly as a coiled spring, ready to move at any moment. He could see it in the slight tenseness of her muscles, and the way her hand hung close to her concealed pistol.

Gage was tensed too. And she knew that too.

"Let's get a move on, then," she said coolly. "The plan's pretty simple. For my end, at least."

"You're comfortable with basically just being a shield," Ley asked, slightly dubious.

Anaiya shrugged. "It's my job right now. Doesn't matter if I'm comfortable with it."

Very true.

"We'll have to see if you shoot as well as you drive after we get back," Penick taunted.

The vixen smirked at him. "Still bitter?"

Penick shook his head. "Nah. Just curious."

Ley grinned at Anaiya. "We should get a drink after this, have a little chat. I'd bet you have some good stories to tell."

Anaiya returned the smile. "Oh, you bet I do." She glanced at Gage. "Fox and I are going to have a big ol' talk about all the things I'm lying about when we get back. You're welcome to join in."

Oh, now _that_ was a conversation he'd like to hear.

"I'll be there," he told her.

Now that they were finished with the traditional 'don't die' encouragements, it was time to move.

"Where'd you park," he asked Penick.

The bear jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Out there. Got our gear in the back." He looked at Anaiya. "What about you? You goin' in naked like that?"

The vixen shook her head. "Nope. My stuff's coming with my team. They'll meet us there."

Penick nodded, and they followed him out to the vehicle. Gage slid into the passenger seat.

"I don't know if this word's gotten around to you yet," he said to Penick and Ley, "but the guy in charge is named Raaze. Not sure what he looks like-"

Anaiya interrupted. "Yes, you do," she said absently, gazing at something on her HUD.

Gage swiveled in his seat to look at her. "Really," he said coolly, "and when have I seen him before?"

"On that video I showed you," she replied, staring at him. "The black jaguar."

Normally, Gage kept his temper pretty well. It was taking a tremendous amount of effort to do that now.

"_Why_," he hissed, "didn't you say so before?"

She knew the guy. She knew _way _more about him than she'd let on.

The vixen's face turned cold, and her eyes glinted strangely. "Why did you try and screw with me in the VR," she returned icily. "The circle goes both ways, Gage."

Oh, no. This was not going to be a good car ride.

-

I decided to divide chapter nine into two or three parts, depending on what I do later. I'm doing this because 1) It'd be way long, and 2) it's been forever since my last update. Already working/nearly done with the next section, so (this sounds familiar, doesn't it) it shouldn't be that long before my next upload. See you then.

Oh, and that stuff about the lasers was mostly BS. Also, I only used Gage's POV because I didn't want to give away what Anaiya was thinking just yet.


	12. Chapter Nine, Part Two: Gambit

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya and her team are mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc. No using them without permission, got it?

-

Chapter Nine, Part Two: Gambit

Gambit:

_Chess_. An opening in which a player seeks to gain some advantage by sacrificing a pawn or piece.

Any maneuver by which one seeks to gain an advantage.

-You cannot play at chess if you are kind-hearted.

**French Proverb**

Anaiya watched, outwardly dispassionate, as Gage's face darkened in anger. Apparently, the captain couldn't handle it when people beat him at his own game.

How unfortunate.

"You mean to tell me," Gage hissed, furious, "that you withheld information that could get my team _killed_?"

Ah. So that was it.

"Hardly," she replied coolly, "I know as little about the current situation as you. My knowledge of Raaze is rather limited as well, and has no impact on this."

"That's not your call," Gage spat, "Ley, pull over."

The leopard complied immediately, stopping the vehicle on the side of the road.

Dagger's captain seemed to be trying to rein in his temper. "I don't trust you, not one bit. I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but not any longer."

Gage was not amused, that was for sure.

"Before we start the interrogation," Anaiya said, "let me ask you a question. You saw the video. He killed me. Do you _honestly_ believe I'd work against you for _his_ sake?" Her lip curled. "You have no idea how much I _hate_ that man. Also, you're a hypocrite."

Gage's eyes narrowed. "Oh, really."

"Yeah, really," Anaiya replied with a small glare, "you just got finished bitching me out about withholding information that could get your team killed. What about _my_ team?"

Gage cocked his head slightly. "I don't follow."

"You deliberately had your team perform below par in the VR, so we would underestimate you if I, as you suspect I might, turned against you. What if we went into a combat situation, like _now_, for instance, and we still underestimated you? We couldn't leave you on your own, and trust you to complete the objectives, which would compromise our own safety when we tried to make up for you." She smirked coldly. "Didn't think about that, did you? Also, did you _honestly_ believe I'd fall for that? A boy scout patrol armed with squirt guns could've beaten you."

Gage looked annoyed. As well he should. "In any case, that's not the issue at hand here. I don't buy your story. Convince me."

Anaiya's eyes narrowed. "How about this, then," she said coldly. "On his orders, Raaze's chief lieutenant, Shran, tortured me into becoming his personal problem solver. I was under his knife for years, until I broke. He's responsible for everything I've been through. I was reduced to a mere errand girl, his lapdog. Do you need any _more_ reasons why I might not like him?"

Something flickered in Gage's face briefly, but was immediately overtaken by something else. _Something_ had clicked in the captain's mind.

"His problem solver, huh," he said calmly, and Anaiya suddenly had the feeling she'd used the wrong words.

"You stole the virus."

Wrong words, indeed.

"But you already knew that," she guessed, eyes narrow.

He nodded. "But now I have proof. Fox'll be devastated."

The vixen's eyes tightened. "I was going to tell him everything after this. You too, but apparently it's unneeded."

"Quite." His eyes flicked to Ley and Penick so quickly she almost missed it.

Uh oh.

All three moved in unison. Ley's and Gage's hands blurred as they drew sidearms, and Penick lunged at her from his adjacent seat. Anaiya hurled herself backwards against the window, whipping out a pair of pistols in a single motion. She jammed one under Penick's chin and aimed the other at Gage's head.

Everyone froze, fingers hovering on triggers.

Time for some fast talking.

"This is a mistake," Anaiya told Gage, staring steadily into his eyes.

"Oh, really," Dagger's captain said flatly, "and why's that?"

"I am not going to betray you," she said softly.

"Forgive my skepticism, then."

Anaiya shook her head. "Okay, my word isn't enough then. How about that fact that you need me?"

Gage raised an eyebrow. "And how, exactly, do we need you?"

"Like you said, I'm his problem solver. That means I can walk right in the front door. And, I can pinpoint exactly where the virus is. And it is, in fact, on the base."

Gage's eyes narrowed. "How do you know?"

"I planted a tracker on the case when I delivered it. I don't take chances with Raaze."

Anaiya could see the gears turning in Gage's head. He was thinking it over. From a military viewpoint, if she was telling the truth, she'd be an invaluable asset. If she wasn't, then she could screw all of them over and utterly destroy the mission. All Gage had to do was trust her.

Unlikely.

She decided to go out on a limb as a sign of good faith. "I'm going to lower my guns now," she said slowly, "don't kill me because of itchy trigger fingers."

The vixen's pistols lowered carefully, and she noted how neither of the barrels aimed at her wavered. Penick rubbed his chin in annoyance.

"I don't see what else I can do to convince you," she said wearily, "make up your mind, please. The suspense is killing me."

Gage and Ley exchanged a long look, then simultaneously lowered their weapons.

Anaiya smiled lightly. "What was the selling point?"

"I still don't trust you," Gage said gruffly, "but we're running out of time. We have to get this done." A tiny smile tugged at his lips. "Besides, if something goes wrong, you're the one walking in the front door."

Anaiya inclined her head. "I suppose that's good enough." She looked to Ley. "Well, let's get going!"

Ley gazed at her for a moment longer, then smirked and started the vehicle up again.

"You've got a fast draw," Penick observed, still rubbing the spot on his chin where her pistol had been pressed.

Anaiya smirked at him. "Think I shoot as well as I drive now?"

Penick grunted. "Maybe."

They lapsed into rather tense silence for the remainder of the trip.

Anaiya was thinking hard. This was decidedly problematic, which she really didn't need on top of everything else. Gage she could handle, though her misdirection was basically ineffective now. But what if Raaze was really down there?

Her fists clenched.

He'd most likely kill her, after making some stupid comment.

At least Fox would be up in the air, far away.

Well, time was a'wastin', after all. Time to go.

-

Due to Ley's _expert_ driving skills (and her actually quite good ability to ignore Anaiya), their party arrived later than the other team, if Ayame's _seven_ calls were anything to judge by. The lupine was most impatient to start killing people, apparently, and the others were getting fed up with her.

They pulled to a stop next to Scar's van, conveniently shielded from the view of the occupied base by a high, laser fenced ridge. The front entrance was guarded by a pair of soldiers dressed in Cornerian attire, security cameras, and automated turrets.

No problem.

Anaiya hopped out the side quickly, glad to get away from the decidedly tense atmosphere and suspicious looks. She walked over to where Scar was lounging against his vehicle, waving her over. The vixen raised an eyebrow in amusement at Ayame, who was determinedly trying to fit another battery into her already loaded shotgun. Shaking her head, the vixen spoke to Scar.

"Got my stuff?"

"In the back," the wolverine answered, carefully wiping down his assault rifle. Anaiya nodded once and went around to the back of the van, realizing with a start that Sabre was perched like an over sized bat on the roof of the vehicle. He looked at her once before going back to staring flatly at the top of the ridge.

Jerhyn sat inside the back of the van, seated squarely in the center of a large array of blinking monitors and technical devices. The vixen smirked at him.

"Good to see TACOM's up and running," she said, "make sure you get Dagger's com info before they go."

The cat nodded, adjusting his glasses. "Yeah, I was gonna do that now. Gotta keep everyone in the loop, right?" His smile weakened as she raised an eyebrow.

"Right" was all Anaiya said before turning her attention to the pile of gear below her.

Vengeance's black case was as beautiful and welcome a sight as ever. Most unfortunately, however, the close confines of the base weren't the place for a precision rifle, and she didn't want to risk having to leave it behind. So, for this one, Vengeance would sit out. Scar had also packed her a laser proof tactical vest, her gun belt complete with both pistols, and her stocked pouches. There were also a few spare rifles in the back, and she took one.

And look at that! He'd even packed her metal knee guards. She hardly ever used those anymore. Good man.

The vixen slipped out of her old vest and into the new one easily, zipping it up to fit snugly across her chest after removing the shoulder holster. Her pistol belt was strapped loosely across her waist, hanging down slightly to rest around hip level. A small pouch was belted to each thigh, and a brace of knives was attached to her left shoulder, in easy reach. For a final touch, Anaiya lifted one of the black rifles, securing it in a three-point sling and slipping it over her shoulder, where it hung down her back. The vixen shrugged a few times, checking the fit of her gear, and nodded in satisfaction.

All good.

When she emerged from the back of the vehicle, she found the three Dagger members similarly outfitted in combat gear, with minor variations among them. They all, however, wore their new HUDs, the azure lenses over their eyes.

Ley had a long combat knife strapped to her shoulder, the grip pointing down for easy drawing. A light carbine was hanging from a sling identical to Anaiya's at her side. Penick carried a big, beefy battle rifle, the heavy weapon suiting him well. He'd most likely rather have a machine gun, or something, but he was supposed to be mildly stealthy for his objective. The suppressor would have to be enough. Gage also had a knife, but it was belted at his lower back, and his weapon was a typical assault rifle, funnily enough the same CMI KR38 he'd shown her back in the _Great Fox's_ armory.

Ah, irony.

He obviously remembered, for he snorted and shook his head when he noticed her smirk. The vulpine slipped a suppressor to the barrel of his rifle, then drew his pistol and checked the battery. Anaiya hesitated for a moment, then drew her left pistol and tossed it to him.

"Here, catch."

Gage snagged the weapon out of the air and looked at her quizzically. "What's this for?"

Anaiya rolled her eyes. "What do people in our professions generally use guns for?"

Dagger's captain stared at her with a weird look on his face. The vixen sighed impatiently. "It's so you don't get killed," she told him, "it's not going to blow up in your face."

"Can I take your word for that," Gage shot back challengingly.

Anaiya's eyes narrowed. "I'll take it back, if you don't want it," she said in a chilly voice.

"Nah, I'll keep it," Gage said, grinning slightly, "thanks anyway, though."

"If you lose that, I'm going to murder you," she informed him.

"Why're you trusting me with it in the first place?"

"'Cause your buddies there" she jerked her head at Ley and Penick "would hunt me down if you get yourself killed."

Ley smirked at her.

"So, it's just to cover your own ass."

"Basically, yeah."

They stared at each other for a long moment, calculating eyes locked in a silent contest.

"Dude, this is, like, the same movie as yesterday," Ayame commented from the ground. "The bitter rivals, in the midst of a heated argument, suddenly become passionate lovers, and-"

Anaiya whacked her across the back of the head. "Idiot," she said.

The lupine pouted. "Aw, you're no fun, Anaiya," she whined, "lighten up a bit. Just screw him already."

Anaiya blinked. Once. Twice.

Then smacked Ayame again. "You're an idiot," she repeated in annoyance. "Let's get a move on before I reduce my team numbers."

Gage snorted as Ley and Penick joined him. Dagger team was all set.

"Guys," Anaiya called, "form up."

Immediately, Sabre swooped down from the roof and landed beside her, silent as a shadow. His energy scythe was deactivated, of course, and the rod was retracted and hanging from his belt. Beyond that, all he carried was his pistol. Scar stepped forward, racking the charging handle on his assault rifle. Ayame somehow managed to arrive last, despite being the closest to start with. The lupine stood and _yawned_, of all things, adjusting the straps on her double shotguns. Jerhyn would not be coming over, of course, as he was running TACOM.

"Alright," Anaiya said briskly, "here's the rundown: Scar, Sabre, Ayame and myself will enter from the front, making as much noise and explosions as we can."

Ayame giggled.

"Jerhyn will remain behind and run TACOM. He'll keep us updated on the enemy's movements, once he finishes breaching their mainframe. He'll make this much easier for us by disabling the autoguns. Meanwhile, Dagger will be around the back, awaiting my signal. Once we've created a sufficient diversion, they'll move in and locate the objective. All we have to do is keep them busy until Dagger acquires or destroys the virus sample. Failing all of that, we fall back and let the Cornerian Army bomb this place to hell. Make sure you all have a mask, in case the virus is released. Well, with that out of the way, all that's left is..."

"Fox here. Incoming low, just behind you guys."

Oh. Talk of the devil.

"Okay, you hang back and cover TACOM if they send anyone after him."

"Got it."

She looked around.

"Questions?"

No one answered. Gage had an eyebrow raised, as if he were surprised that she wasn't totally incompetent.

Hmph.

"Okay then," Anaiya finished, "Dagger, make sure you give myself and Jerhyn your HUD and com frequency. I'll create a squad channel."

Gage inclined his head in acknowledgement. Ley recited a quick string of numbers that Anaiya entered into her keypad. Three new signatures appeared on her contacts. Though Anaiya's team was not equipped with HUDs the same as hers and Dagger, they all had life sign monitor chips implanted, which would enable her to see how they were doing at any point during the mission. The HUDs had this same function.

With a few deft strokes, Anaiya assembled their squad window. Biosigns for members of each team appeared in the corner of her vision, and six green contacts appeared on her radar. She sent the information to Jerhyn with another click.

The vixen clicked her radio. "Squad channel test. You read me?"

A chorus of affirmatives sounded in her ear, followed by Ayame's excited laugh.

"That is _so_ cool," the lupine told them.

"Shut up," Sabre said flatly.

"I read you all loud and clear," Jerhyn said, his voice surprisingly steady and firm. "I've gained entrance to the base's security, and I can have the turrets offline at a moment's notice. However, they'll know as soon as I do that, so wait until the last minute to order them off. You're free to move in. Dagger, there's a hangar entrance around the back…which is mostly empty, for some reason. You'll have best luck there."

Wow, he was actually competent when he wasn't stammering. Scar must've guessed what she was thinking, because the wolverine smirked and shot her an 'I told you so' look.

"Ten four," Gage said, and he, Ley and Penick jogged off, after one last glance at Anaiya.

"Anaiya," Jerhyn continued, "I can disable a section of the laser fence for your team to slip through."

"Do it," Anaiya commanded, bringing her rifle up. A few seconds later, the crimson lasers directly in front of her shimmered and vanished. The vixen hurried up the incline, her team right behind her.

They sprawled down at the top of the ridge and crawled the rest of the way, Ayame managed to make the motion look completely retarded, and Sabre made it look fluid and graceful.

Some team.

Her rifle's barrel led the way over, Anaiya poking her head over a moment later. The two 'Cornerian' guards were still there, in the same position as before.

Not for long.

The vixen trained her sights on the left soldier's skull. "TACOM," she whispered, "get ready to deactivate those turrets on my mark."

"Copy, Ice."

Anaiya almost snorted. She'd nearly forgotten about her call sign.

Oh well.

Steadying her weapon, she slowly squeezed the trigger.

The soldier's skull exploded half a moment later in a shower of gore. His companion stumbled away, then dropped as Scar's round tore a gaping hole through his chest.

The turrets began to swivel.

"Mark."

Before the automated guns had made it all the way to her position, they froze, and the tiny blinking lights vanished.

"Done," Jerhyn said.

Anaiya flicked her hand forward, and her team advanced down the ridge, hustling to get out of the open quickly. They threw themselves against the walls adjacent to the heavy security doors. The vixen flicked her fingers at Scar, who moved silently up to the doors, drawing a small package of explosives out of his vest pocket. The wolverine deftly set the charge, then retreated back to his original spot. He pulled a detonator from the same pocket before looking to Anaiya for confirmation.

The vixen nodded, and Scar hit the switch.

Game on.

The glassteel doors shattered, the blossoming explosion breaking them into a thousand pieces. Almost instantly, alarms began to blare, and the lights flicked red.

"I've activated the alarms near your position, Ice," Jerhyn informed them. "You have inbound hostile contacts. Dagger, you're clear. Security in your area has been disabled. Be advised: there are two contacts still in the hangar."

"Copy," Anaiya and Gage said in unison. The vixen gestured to her team, and they moved up. Ayame was biting her lip with barely suppressed glee.

Anaiya rolled her eyes.

"Hostiles neutralized," Gage said, his voice crackling slightly.

"Acknowledged, Dagger one. I'm uploading a schematic of the base to everyone's HUD. You should have no trouble locating your objective now. Dagger, you have contacts inbound, looks like they'll pass by. Advise you wait for my go."

"Affirmative."

"Ice, you have multiple hostiles approaching your position. Might be a good idea to find a defensible spot."

"Roger that," Anaiya said, already scanning the hall. This was as good a spot as any. With a few quick gestures, her team set about making a bunker out of the hall. The already bloodied reception desk was overturned, revealing a dead Cornerian soldier, his uniform missing and throat rather messily slit. Anaiya grimaced.

Unfortunate.

After some hurried remodeling of the hall, courtesy of Sabre's energy scythe, Anaiya's team found themselves with a makeshift barrier, which they promptly took cover behind.

All except Sabre.

The vulpine merely watched them coolly for a moment.

"Deactivate the heating system," he said into the radio.

There was silence for a moment, then Jerhyn responded.

"Uh, done," he said dubiously. "Dagger, you're clear to move."

"Copy."

Sabre ignored the questioning stares he was getting and the audible shouting from up ahead. The vulpine simply fired a quartet of shots upward into the grate of a ventilation shaft. The covering was blown clear off, hitting the floor with a loud clank. Before anyone could ask what the hell he was doing, Sabre leaped straight up, caught the edge of the opening, and pulled himself up into the shaft, rolling out of sight.

"Lol," Ayame said. Scar gave her a bizarre look, and the lupine shrugged. "Past your time, gramps," she said airily.

The wolverine scowled and turned away.

"Ice, hostile contacts right on your position. Get ready. Dagger, Team one has been engaged. The clock's ticking."

"On it. Good luck, guys."

Anaiya snorted. "Luck's got nothing to do with it." The vixen lifted her rifle and braced the barrel on top of the barricade. "We've got plenty of skill to go around here. Run fast and shoot straight."

Gage didn't reply. Anaiya snorted again.

The first Venomian soldier that came around the corner had a moment to widen his eyes before Anaiya blew one out with a laser. The vixen's rifle cracked only twice more before the return fire forced her to duck back behind cover. Ayame's shotguns chugged away, firing one after the other over the barricade as the lupine cackled insanely. The reports from her guns echoed in the confined space, quickly becoming deafening. Scar fired his assault rifle in short bursts, the barrel angled over the barrier, the wolverine careful to keep his head down.

Anaiya grimaced as part of their barricade began to glow an ominous cherry red. That wasn't good, now was it?

Something was hurled over their shield, clattering to the floor a few feet from her. The vixen glanced over at it, then swore.

A grenade, and out of her reach.

Luckily, Scar was on the ball.

The wolverine dropped his rifle instantly, diving backwards to snatch the explosive and lob it underhanded to Anaiya. Beside them, Ayame's fire redoubled, covering the pair.

The second the grenade was in her palm, Anaiya hurled it away, over the barrier towards the Venomians, with not a second to spare.

The grenade detonated mere seconds after leaving Anaiya's hand, just on the other side of the barrier.

Anaiya yelped and jerked away from the metal, which was suddenly scorching. She shrugged her blistered arm carefully a few times, just to make sure it still worked. Which, of course, it did.

In retrospect, she'd expected the metal on a military base to hold up a bit better. Their barrier was failing; the metal was beginning to glow in spots from repeated laser blasts. The vixen left her rifle hanging at her side, opting for the more maneuverable pistol. She waited a moment, then popped up, firing a quick pair of short bursts before she ducked back behind cover, a return shot singing her fur.

Being a distraction was awfully annoying.

Scar jerked backward with a curse as a small section of their defenses caved inwards, dripping molten metal to the floor. There was a momentary pause, then all the Venomians fired in unison.

That was when the whole thing started to fall apart.

Literally.

Ayame squealed like a stuck pig as a section of the wall shattered near her, spraying the lupine with shards of hot metal. Anaiya grunted as a round punched through the barricade and struck her side, sending her stumbling back a pace. The ablative weaving in her vest had, luckily, dispelled most of the damage, but it felt like Shaun had belted her a good one, and that section of her armor was charred and smoking.

Scar pulled her and Ayame down beside him, the wolverine having gone prone a moment before.

"You okay," he shouted in the vixen's ear, trying to overcome the deafening roar of laserfire.

The vixen nodded curtly to him.

"This isn't going to last much longer," the wolverine continued, gesturing at the glowing barricade. "We've got to move!"

"Give it a minute," Anaiya snapped, slipping a fresh battery into the mag well of her pistol.

Scar opened his mouth to argue, and there was a sudden crackling hiss. The laserfire cut off almost instantly.

Scar and Ayame frowned in unison, the wolverine in confusion and the lupine in disappointment.

Anaiya smirked.

The radio crackled.

"Hostiles neutralized," Sabre said in his flat, dispassionate voice. "You're clear to move."

Anaiya poked her head over the barricade as Sabre rose from his crouch, energy scythe humming. The vent above him was sliced open, and the black vulpine stood in the center of a pile of corpses.

Good ol' Sabre.

"Nice job," the vixen told him, vaulting over the useless metal shield.

Sabre inclined his head.

"You're not out of it yet, Ice," Jerhyn warned her, "there're more incoming, multiple vectors."

"How'd you do that," Ayame demanded, staring at Sabre.

The black vulpine deactivated his energy scythe and hung it on his back. "How do you think," he said coolly.

"Ten-four, TACOM," Anaiya said, ignoring them. Her eyes moved slowly around, observing the branching halls.

She smirked.

"Let's play some hide and seek," she said.

Everyone looked at her.

"Each of you pick your own hall. Cause some chaos."

Ayame grinned. The lupine pulled an _air horn_, of all things, from her pocket and sprinted off, the shrill blare of the horn following her down the hall.

Anaiya snorted, shaking her head, then turned back to the other, more sane two.

Or, rather, one.

Sabre had vanished again. His FOF tag on her radar showed him a floor above them already.

"Doesn't waste time, does he," Scar murmured, staring thoughtfully at the hole in the ventilation shaft.

"Nope," Anaiya answered, She tossed the wolverine a causal salute. "See ya 'round."

Scar nodded. "Keep on your toes," he called, trotting off down the hall Ayame had taken, but turning off on a branch in the corridor.

"_Heels_," Anaiya muttered, "heels. Not toes. Heels are quieter." With a small shrug, the vixen started off along the other hall, her rifle braced against her shoulder.

"TACOM, be advised, my team has split up," she informed Jerhyn, "to cause maximum...distraction."

"Uh, roger, Ice."

Suddenly, the PA system activated, and Ayame's voice boomed through.

"Attention," the lupine called, "we are the cops. I command you to kill yourselves right now. Or surrender. Anything you say will be misquoted and used against you."

Anaiya rolled her eyes.

"Of course," she muttered.

Her head snapped up as the sound of tramping boots reached her ears. The vixen quickly moved to the side of the corridor, unstrapping her rifle and leaning it against the wall. She silently drew a knife and stood still, melting into the shadows.

Her wrist blade extended quietly.

The squad of Venomian soldiers that rushed up the corridor couldn't have known they were running to their deaths, but that wouldn't stop it from being true. She needed some practice, anyway.

Time for some excessively showy moves.

As soon as the six drew level with the vixen's hiding place, Anaiya exploded into motion.

The vixen burst from the shadows like a malevolent wraith, her flashing blades already tinted red by the emergency lights. Her wrist blade buried itself in the first simian's kidney, then she tore it out with a vicious twist and slashed a line across another's throat with her other knife.

Those two were dead before the others even noticed Anaiya was among them.

Their rifles were basically useless; she moved too quickly and fluidly to target. The vixen knocked a lizard's ankles out in a low sweep kick, sending him tumbling to the floor. She spun into a roundhouse, knocking two backwards and sheathing her knife in the last soldier's eye. Anaiya continued her spin, dropping a powerful Axe kick on the downed lizard, crushing his throat. The vixen flowed behind one of the recovering monkeys, lashing out with her booted foot to knock his rifle up over his head. Her finger found it's way inside the trigger guard and put a round through the simian's skull before the weapon continued it's spin and landed firmly in Anaiya's hand. Without wasting a moment, she hurled the rifle towards the final soldier, who was just drawing a bead on her. The stock connected squarely with his forehead, sending the poor guy reeling yet again and causing his rifle to clatter away across the floor. Anaiya jumped forward and sent a hard knee strike into his gut, forcing him farther back.

She allowed the lizard to recover, watching coolly as he snarled at her, gasping for air. Moments later, a knife flashed into his hand, and he charged her, brandishing the blade. The vixen allowed him to come, an eye raised at the poor strategy.

Once he was in range, Anaiya simply threw herself sideways into a cartwheel kick, striking him in the face with both feet in rapid succession and dropping him to the floor. Again.

The lizard spat at her, his face twisted in hatred and spitting blood as he regained his footing. He charged again, weaving the knife back and forth to try and confuse her.

It didn't work.

Anaiya leaned back, avoiding his slashes with contemptuous ease. His hand came back again, and the vixen caught his wrist, twisting it violently until the lizard growled in pain and released the knife. He started to swing his free hand at her, but stopped and howled when Anaiya broke his jaw with a ruthless uppercut palm strike.

Enough playing around. There were things to be done.

Anaiya shoved him backwards and hit him with a vicious flash kick, landing easily and spinning low, once again, into a sweep kick that knocked him off his feet as he reeled. The vixen finished him with a brutal double knee drop, her metal knee pads crunching his ribs.

He wouldn't be getting up after that one.

Anaiya backflipped off the slain soldier, landing gracefully on her feet. She retrieved her knife from the dead soldier's eye and wiped that and her wrist blade on his pant leg before sheathing both blades.

"StarFox," Jerhyn's voice spoke over her com, "be advised: I've got a squad of fighters leaving the hangar and heading towards my position. Seems they figured me out."

"Got it," Fox replied, "engaging."

"This is Dagger," Gage said, "we're closing in on the objective."

Anaiya scowled. Oh no. She had to beat them there.

"En route, Dagger," she told him.

There was a momentary pause.

"Acknowledged," Gage said, the tiniest hint of reluctance in his voice.

Anaiya smirked.

"Hurry up; we're not waiting for you."

The smirk vanished pretty quickly.

"Understood," she ground out, and knew without having to see him that Gage had exactly the same smirk she'd had on her face not a moment before.

Anaiya decided to abandon her rifle; she could move much more quickly without it. She sighed and drew her knife again, holding it reversed in her left hand. She drew her only remaining pistol and checked the battery, nodding in satisfaction,

Time to move.

Weapons ready, Anaiya ran down the hall, silent as a shadow. Dagger's FOF tags were moving ever closer to the pulsing red dot that was the virus case.

She picked up the pace.

The first patrol she ran into must've thought they were struck by lightning.

The vixen cannoned into them, bowling one over and stabbing him with a piece of metal as she flashed past. She was gone in the next second, leaving a lizard with a slit throat and another with a hole between the eyes in her wake. The monkey Anaiya had knocked over only realized she'd stabbed him with an old fashioned grenade pin when the explosive she'd shoved into his belt exploded, taking out the rest of the squad.

Anaiya ran on, vaguely aware of Ayame singing a very off-key ditty over the PA system.

She ran into only one other patrol on the way., easily losing them as she melded into the shadows.

Where she belonged.

Her very not careful sprint had allowed her to catch up with Dagger; they were still moving slowly.

It was ominously quiet and empty; the red emergency lights still spun, but the alarms were off, and there was no one around.

She checked her HUD. The case was in the room just ahead, and Dagger was approaching from the opposite entrance.

"Ice," Gage said, "get in position and wait for my mark."

Anaiya grimaced, but acquiesced. "Affirmat-"

She froze. Somewhere, on the other side of the door, the vixen heard a quiet click, and a hiss of releasing air.

Uh oh.

"Dagger, hold position, repeat, _hold position_," she hissed urgently, pulling a small face mask from her bag, "get your masks on. There may be a leak."

"What's going on down there," Fox demanded.

Anaiya paused a moment, silent.

"I'm moving in."

"Ice, wait-"

But Anaiya was already going, her mask in place over her mouth. Her weapons raised, Anaiya kicked the door wide open and moved in.

The room was empty. One of the walls was filled with communications equipment, and the rest was clear. A table sat in the center of the room.

On that table was the silver virus case.

And it was open.

The vixen started towards it, speaking into her radio.

"Room is clear, but the case is open, checking it for lea-"

Something flickered in the corner of her eye.

Instantly, she threw herself aside into a roll as something slammed into the space she'd just occupied. The vixen's gun snapped up onto the figure.

Her blood ran cold as Shran bared his teeth in a vicious smile.

The lizard was the same as he always was, except for one thing: one of his eyes was closed, with heavy scarring around it.

Gage and Fox were clamoring in her ear, demanding to know what was happening. She ignored them, focused on the weapon clutched in the lizard's hand.

It was his scourge, a seven tailed whip cruelly spiked with vicious, dripping barbs. And not just any scourge. _The_ scourge.

And she was suddenly flying backwards as Shran rushed forward with a tremendous thrust punch to her sternum, smashing her into and over the table.

_Move!_ She screamed at herself. She couldn't freeze now. Everyone needed her get up get upgetupgetupGETUP-

"Come on, get up."

Someone wrapped an arm around her and roughly pulled her upright. Anaiya shook herself out of her daze and looked to her rescuer.

Of course.

Gage had an arm slung around her waist, dragging her up and wielding his rifle one handed, his unblinking eyes fixed on Shran. Ley and Penick had spread out around the room, rifles raised.

Anaiya coughed, shaking her head dizzily. She pressed her free hand to her side, grimacing at what was probably a cracked or broken rib. Her knife had vanished, so she raised her pistol instead.

Shran smiled.

"Would you all like to watch as I flay the flesh from the little vixen once again," he said, his deep voice echoing around the room.

Anaiya's hand shot to her arm, clutching the spiderweb scarring that spread all across her body.

All inflicted by him.

"Easy," Gage said quietly, not taking his eyes from the giant lizard.

Ha. Easy. Oh, no. She was not taking it easy.

"Easy," the vixen hissed, the barrel of her gun trembling, "_easy?!_ How can you even say that? You've _no_ idea what he's done to m-"

Gage tightened his grip around her waist, sending a flare of pain through her and forcing a low growl from between her teeth.

"Calm down," he said, still not looking at her. "He's just trying to rile you. Stop letting him."

"I _know_ what he's doing," Anaiya snarled, staring hatefully at the hulking reptile.

Shran's smile was still in place.

"Are you going to scream again, girl," he asked, flicking the scourge tauntingly at her, "I did so enjoy hearing you beg for-"

Anaiya shot him.

The laser struck him squarely in the chest, and Gage grunted in surprise as the unfazed and unharmed lizard bared his teeth again.

"You'll have to do better than _that_," he hissed mockingly, his single red eye practically glowing with anticipation.

Then he and Anaiya moved in unison.

Gage was right. She had to focus. Forget her rib. Forget her anger. Forget her fear.

Forget everything.

Her pistol returned to it's holster; there were very few spots on the giant lizard vulnerable to laserfire. A pair of knives flashed into her hands as she ducked under the lashing scourge, her blades skating harmlessly off of Shran's flank. The scourge cracked out again, and the vixen spun smoothly out of the way, slashing at the weapon as she passed it.

Shran must have brought the weapon merely for the memories it renewed; it had the potential to be a formidable weapon, but there was no finesse behind his attacks. It was all raw, brute force, force that she was barely avoiding.

This was dangerous; even a glancing blow from that thing would shred her. She knew from experience. She threw herself into a backward roll, dropping to the floor and out of the line of fire.

Dagger didn't need to be told twice. The three members opened up on the lizard, spraying him with lasers from all sides. Shran hissed and stumbled backward. His ablatively coated scales might be able to take a few blasts, but there was always a limit.

Furious, the great reptile charged Penick with frightening speed,ignoring the lasers pounding into his chest and abandoning his scourge with a hiss. Penick backpedaled, lashing out for Shran's face with his rifle's stock. Shran caught it and twisted, ripping the metal clean off the gun with a loud screech. The lizard struck the rifle again, shattering it with a powerful punch. Penick stumbled, his hands bloodied from the jagged metal. Shran reached out and caught him by the throat, lifting the two hundred-fifty pound bear easily with a single hand. With a contemptuous motion, the lizard tossed Penick aside like a rag doll, the bear smashing into the wall and sliding down it, motionless.

Ley and Gage opened up again, pounding Shran relentlessly as the reptile charged towards Ley. The leopard dropped her rifle, drawing her knife and sliding into a ready position. She'd seen what the hulking lizard had done to her teammate; she wasn't going to underestimate him.

She skipped back to dodge Shran's first strike, his clawed hand whistling through the air mere inches from her face. The leopard slashed at the outstretched hand, drawing a line of blood.

Shran's eye flared in anger just as Anaiya and Gage attacked from behind.

They scythed in on both sides, ramming their knifes up to the hilts in the monstrous reptile's sides.

Shran gave a bestial roar, not of pain, but of fury. The hulking reptile did not feel pain, and wouldn't stop coming until he was dead eight times over.

Shran had had enough. His fists shot out at eye blurring speeds, striking Anaiya and Ley squarely in the chests with a bone-crunching impact, hurling them away. His powerful tail whipped up and smashed into Gage's face, crunching his mask and spinning the Dagger operative away. He landed hard and rolled back onto his feet unsteadily, shaking his head dizzily as blood gushed from his nose.

Anaiya climbed shakily back to her feet, coughing. If her rib wasn't broken before, it certainly was now. She looked for Ley and found the leopard standing as well, her combat vest shredded by Shran's claws.

"That's enough," a new voice said silkily.

_Oh, shit._

As one, Anaiya and the two Dagger members turned to look at the doorway, where the voice had come from.

Raaze stood there, framed by the red emergency lights as he examined his sharp nails critically. The black jaguar wore a crisp black and crimson Venomian officer's uniform, his arms clasped behind his back, and his yellow eyes glinted maliciously as he stared at Anaiya. A small metallic cylinder hung at his belt, and he carried no weapons.

"You're still alive," he said questioningly to Shran.

The lizard's expression darkened. "What?"

Raaze shrugged. "Gambits require sacrifices sometimes. No matter."

He turned to face the others.

"How lovely to see you again, Anaiya," he said smoothly, pacing slowly forward and completely ignoring Dagger team. "Did you honestly believe you could escape from me so easily?" He chuckled softly. "The only reason I didn't kill you before was because I wanted to make your end _dramatic._" His eyes glittered. "And I have the perfect idea to make it so."

_Well, this is it._

Resigned, Anaiya shrugged at him, noticing Gage moving slowly out of the corner of her eye. Then she cocked her arm back, a knife falling out of her sleeve into her ready palm. A moment later, she hurled the blade at Raaze.

The feline didn't deign to flinch as it soared towards him.

And then Shran was suddenly between them, the knife buried in his shoulder. He was moving again a second later, and then Gage and Ley were back on the ground, their pistols clattering across the floor. The vixen spun to follow him and ended up folding over the elbow he planted in her gut, coughing anew. The lizard yanked her head up with a sharp jerk.

"Haven't you learned by now to listen when Lord Raaze is talking," he hissed dangerously. Anaiya spat at him.

"So what, I'm so important that you had to come all the way out here to take care of yourself," she growled.

Raaze chuckled again, stepping closer. "Don't overestimate your own value. I would not waste my time on such an endeavor. This was merely a short detour." He continued speaking as though there had been no interruption. "Your death will be the harbinger of the end. Because, you see, I am going to release a strain of the Ragnarok virus. Right here, and right now. Even if those masks you wear work, so what. You may prolong your life, but it isn't as if you can escape your inevitable death, is it?" He leaned closer to her. "Besides, I need Starfox to at least think you have a chance of surviving."

On that cryptic note, the jaguar turned and spoke quietly to Shran, the lizard listening intently.

Anaiya growled, struggling upright. She would _not_ go out like that!

She threw herself at him, producing another knife and lunging at the jaguar.

It didn't work, of course, but he actually had to do something this time.

Raaze spun, snapping the metallic cylinder off his waist as he did. Their was a sharp _snap-hiss_ sound, similar to Sabre's igniting scythe, and a straight blade of crimson energy burst from the _hilt. _The feline slashed through her knife, scoring her deeply along the arm. With a quick flick, his sword arced down, cutting a long trough through her leg.

Neat weapon.

Anaiya grunted as her leg gave out, dropping her unceremoniously to the floor. Raaze smiled at her.

"Futile" was all he said, before leaving the room.

_...What?_

That was it? Just like that? Why the hell had he even shown up? It didn't make sense.

Shran hissed like an angry viper, his tail lashing back and forth in fury. "It seems I am not permitted to kill you," he spat, his red eye glaring hate at Anaiya and the recovered Dagger members. Gage tossed aside his shattered mask and leveled his pistol with a slight grimace. He remembered how effective it'd been last time.

Anaiya clicked her tongue and tossed her mask to Gage.

It wasn't like she needed it, anyway.

"See you around, then," she said coolly.

Shran's hands clenched, then he spun and brought his fist down on the silver virus case.

It shattered, and Anaiya saw fragments of a glass vial fall to the floor.

A dark, vaporous cloud rose ominously from the ruins.

_And so it begins._

"Anaiya!"

The vixen turned to see Gage, her mask in place on his face, his eyes wide with shock.

He must've thought she'd thrown him a spare mask.

Anaiya shrugged at him. "Remember when I said I'd explain everything later," she asked. "This is one of those later things."

Gage nodded slowly, then his eyes widened further and his pistol snapped up, trained above her left shoulder.

The vixen turned to stare into Shran's red eye.

"Your master called you, dog," she said flatly. "Run along."

The giant lizard gnashed his teeth. "I can't kill you," he growled, as if reminding himself. "But I can leave you another something to remember me by."

He punched her right in the gut.

Anaiya grunted, then frowned.

Something was different.

She didn't go flying, didn't get winded, nothing.

She tried to back up, and found she couldn't move. Confused, she looked down.

She found Shran's claws buried in her stomach, blood gushing from the wounds.

Her mouth opened in a small 'o', and her eyebrows scrunched together.

Oh.

_Oh._

That was unexpected.

The lizard planted his foot on her and kicked viciously, dislodging her from his claws and throwing her to the floor. He stalked away, blood dripping falling in a trail behind him.

That was her blood, wasn't it?

Quite unexpected.

She saw Gage's face appear above her, shouting something. She couldn't hear him, though, which was odd, since he was right there. How did that happen?

He reached down and wrapped something around her waist, glancing over his shoulder at something and yelling to his two teammates. The vulpine slipped an arm under her knees, and one behind her shoulders.

He was carrying her?

Wasn't that nice of him?

She was really tired all of a sudden. Sleep seemed the best thing to do now. Gage was yelling in her face again. Why was he doing that? She just wanted to sleep for a bit. Even a few minutes.

She closed her eyes.

-

Kay, done, finally. I sliced it down a bit. I wanted to have a few more scenes in there, but I just wanted to get this out now. The scene with Raaze could have gone so many different ways. I had two distinct visions of how I wanted that whole encounter to play out, each way different from the other. I tried to combine both of them, and it didn't quite work out the way I'd hoped.

But whatever.

See you next chapter.


	13. Chapter Ten: The Approaching Storm

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya and her team are mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc.

-

Chapter Ten: The Approaching Storm

-But penance need not be paid in suffering...It can be paid in forward motion. Correcting the mistake is a positive move, a nurturing move.

**Barbara Hall**

_Previously..._

_She found Shran's claws buried in her stomach, blood gushing from the wounds. The lizard planted his foot on her and kicked viciously, dislodging her from his claws and throwing her to the floor. He stalked away, blood dripping in a trail behind him. She was really tired all of a sudden. Sleep seemed the best thing to do now. Gage was yelling in her face again. Why was he doing that? She just wanted to sleep for a bit. Even a few minutes. _

_She closed her eyes. _

_-_

_Five minutes earlier..._

Raaze knew he looked rather smug. It was, however, quite warranted, so he decided to forgo adjusting his expression.

The jaguar stepped disdainfully over a pile of his own soldiers, careful not to soil his boots with their spilled blood.

Someone was whistling cheerfully around the bend in the hall. Raaze unhooked the metal cylinder from his belt and moved forward.

The whistling ceased, and the feline heard the metallic click of a weapon being loaded.

The jaguar raised an eyebrow.

His red energy blade blazed to life a moment later as a gun fired at him.

The laser blast rebounded from his sword with a loud _ping_, ricocheting away to sink into the wall.

"Oh," the shooter said, "it's you."

Raaze made a noise of displeasure.

Fool.

"Incompetent as ever, Ishanah, " he said coolly.

Ishanah snorted. "Don't patronize me, Raaze. Who's to say I wasn't shooting at you deliberately?"

"Hmm," Raaze intoned, "who's to say indeed. Now, to the matter at hand..."

"Of course," Ishanah agreed. "The three Dagger operatives are near enough to Shran's location, and your little monkey isn't far behind."

Raaze frowned. "Monkey? Ah, yes, Anaiya. There's been a new development with that one."

"Yes, I know all about her defection."

Raaze smirked condescendingly. "No, more recently than that. I was _sure _I informed you. No matter. I nearly made a serious mistake in ordering her death. Fortunately, there is still time to correct that."

"Oh?" Ishanah was curious. "Do tell."

"Don't concern yourself with such small matters," Raaze said, allowing a tinge of smugness to creep into his voice. "Suffice it to say that she still has a long road ahead."

Ishanah hummed noncommittally, obviously dissatisfied. "I see."

"I'm sure you do. Now, don't you have some of my soldiers to kill? I'd hate for you to lose your cover so soon."

"Don't worry about me," Ishanah said, "my disguise is flawless. In theory."

"Indeed," Raaze agreed, masking the doubt in his voice. "In any case, I must depart."

"Of course," Ishanah said. "Don't let me catch you with your guard down."

Ishanah's eyes glittered.

Raaze inclined his head mockingly. "As always." The jaguar turned on his heel and strode off down the hall, his hand gripping the hilt of his energy sword tightly.

Ishanah did not move, and Raaze relaxed his grip.

It was certainly a tense relationship they had.

_Four minutes later..._

Raaze turned away from the downed Anaiya, a small smirk playing across his face. He leaned in close to Shran. "There's been a change of plans," he whispered to his lieutenant. "You are not to kill any of them." He felt the lizard stiffen next to him, but ignored it. "All four of them must survive another day. However, I need a sample of the vixen's blood once she has come into contact with the newest strain. Preferably direct blood contact. I'm sure I don't need to explain that."

Shran twitched slightly. "consider it done," he hissed.

"Very well," Raaze said. "Bring it to me the moment you acquire it, then return to the _Hand._ Don't fail me."

The jaguar turned away, casually knocking the lunging Anaiya back to the ground. "Futile," he told her, then walked out of the room.

Shran joined him a few minutes later, handing him a small vial filled with crimson.

Raaze smiled victoriously.

"Excellent," he said lightly. "Return to the _Hand;_ The Cornerian forces will be here soon. It would be best for us to not be here when they are."

The lizard bowed his head and vanished down a side hall.

Raaze entered the deserted hangar and approached his black Venomian spy vessel. The feline lifted himself into the humming cockpit, flicking a few switches and lifting the craft into the air.

He had just begun to think he may have anticipated incorrectly when a new contact appeared on his radar.

Raaze smirked. Of course he was right.

The jaguar hailed the approaching Arwing.

"Good evening, Fox McCloud," he said, "how wonderful to finally speak to you, brief as this conversation will be."

There was a silence from the other end.

"You must be Raaze," Fox said finally. "Nice to meet you."

Raaze's shields flared as Fox fired on him. The jaguar juked left and right, attempting to avoid the lasers that streaked by his ship.

"Impatient as you are, McCloud, you neglected to listen to the remainder of what I had to say."

"Well, I don't much care what you have to say, actually."

Raaze smirked again. "I'll keep it simple, then. You have two choices here: you can continue to play this game with me here, and perhaps kill me, or you can turn around, land, and save your woman from bleeding to death."

"What?"

"It's true," the jaguar explained, "my lieutenant gored her with those awfully large claws of his. Dagger's probably doing all they can to stop the bleeding, but," he sighed theatrically, "I don't know if it'll be enough. Go on, check with them now."

McCloud was silent for twelve and a half seconds.

"Count on seeing me again soon, cat," he said coldly.

The Arwing veered away, back towards the base.

"I await your return with baited breath," Raaze told him, then activated his ship's cloak and rocketed up, out of the atmosphere and entering hyperspace.

Raaze held up the precious vial of blood and allowed himself a small, triumphant smile.

-

Fox activated his radio.

"Anaiya, Gage, talk to me."

No response.

"Fox," Jerhyn said, his voice strained, "I'm having trouble reaching them. The com system's on the fritz." He was quiet for a moment. "Anaiya's vitals are dangerously low, and still dropping. At this rate, she'll-" His voice caught.

Fox went cold.

He switched com channels.

"Count on seeing me again soon, cat," he growled.

He could _hear_ the smirk in the cat's response. "I await your return with baited breath," Raaze said.

Fox spun the Arwing around and rocketed back to the base, his heart hammering.

He heard Jerhyn sigh in relief. "Communications reestablished," the cat said.

Fox jumped at the radio controls. "Anaiya, Gage, what's your status?"

To his utter relief, the radio crackled in response.

"Tell Pepper's forces to get their asses in gear," Gage said harshly, "we need this place quarantined _now_."

Fox's breath caught. "The virus leaked?"

"Affirmative."

"Were you exposed," he asked, dreading the answer.

"...Affirmative."

Fox closed his eyes. "Gage, where's Anaiya?"

Silence.

"Call Pepper. TACOM, start sealing the exits."

Fox swallowed, feeling cold. "Jerhyn, he said, "what's Anaiya's status?"

"She's still alive," the cat replied, trying to steady his shaking voice.

"I can fly her to a hospital," Fox decided.

"No!" Gage's voice cracked like a whip. "She was exposed to the virus, more than us. We can't risk it spreading."

"But she's going to die!"

Gage was silent for a moment. "Then tell Pepper to pick up the pace," he said, his tone subdued.

Fox shoved a hand through his fur, eyes squeezed tightly shut.

She was dying. He was going to lose her again, so soon after just being reunited. They hadn't had time to do _anything_; no talks, nothing.

His eyes snapped open.

No. She wasn't going to die.

The vulpine literally punched the Cornerian military channel into his com.

"Whoever Pepper put in charge of the operation down at this base," he said, his voice hard, "had better get down here _now_, before this thing gets worse."

"That would be me," A voice replied coolly, "and you'd best moderate your tone while speaking to me, boy. I'd also appreciate it if you didn't flood my entire fleet with your shouting. Isolating your frequency now."

"Who am I speaking to," Fox demanded.

"Admiral Katas and the bridge of the _Sentinel._ You'd best have a good reason for using this channel, McCloud."

"The virus leaked at the base," Fox said, "and one of my people is bleeding to death in the quarantine, waiting for _your_ doctors to get there."

"I see," Katas replied, not sounding like he cared much. "We'll get right over there. Thanks for the heads-up."

Impatient, Fox asked "how long will it take you to 'get right over here'?"

"Well, if you could stop grating my nerves for a moment and check your radar..."

Fox glanced down at the device and noticed a new marker moving in, labeled '_Sentinel'_.

"I'm sorry, sir," the vulpine said, taking a breath, "I'm just worried about my team."

"It's quite alright, boy, but keep your tongue in check in the future."

The vulpine scowled at the com unit. He didn't much like Katas already.

Fox landed his Arwing beside the van/command center, leaping from the cockpit before the dust had fully settled and striding over to Jerhyn. The cat's fur was matted with sweat, and he was constantly adjusting his glasses as they slipped down his nose.

Fox stepped up behind him, glancing fearfully at the life signs monitor.

The three Dagger markers were colored yellow, indicating minor injuries. Scar's was as well, but Ayame's and Sabre's were a healthy green.

Anaiya's was pulsing red.

Fox felt his heart clench.

"She will survive," Sabre said over his shoulder, making Fox jump a foot in the air.

"What makes you so sure," Fox said wearily, running a hand over his face.

Sabre began to unstrap his bloodied armor plates, placing them in a case he pulled from the vehicle. "Her heart will not stop beating," the vulpine said dispassionately, "other injuries can be ignored until the medical teams arrive. Dagger should be competent enough to slow the bleeding until then."

"How can you be so calm about this?"

Sabre gave him one of his patented 'what a moron you are' expressions, without shifting his face in the slightest.

"There's nothing you or I can do, in any case."

Fox watched the impassive vulpine, feeling his uneasy wane ever so slightly. He cocked an eyebrow as Sabre completely stripped out of his upper body armor. The vulpine's fur was quite unique; what Fox had originally thought was a pure black coat was actually striped like a tiger's, with thin crimson lines stretching across his exposed chest and back.

"Is that dyed," Fox asked curiously.

"No" came the curt reply. Sabre began wiping down his armor sections.

"You know more about Anaiya than you let on," Fox prodded.

"Of course."

"Would you tell me a bit? Please?"

Sabre paused in his cleaning and stared flatly over at him.

"You will have to ask her or Scar," he responded finally. "Scar will be willing to divulge such information in pointless nostalgia. I am not."

Fox nodded reluctantly. That was probably all he was going to get out of that topic. "Why does Scar hate you so much?"

Sabre raised an eyebrow. "I killed him brother. He does not think I remember."

Fox blinked. "...Oh. Um, how did that happen?"

"I was hired to eliminate Scar, or Soren as he was, and his brother decided to die in his stead."

"And you, just, went with that?"

Sabre shrugged carelessly. "The client could not tell them apart, and I was paid in full. It made no difference to me."

Fox stared at him in slight disgust. "...I see. How do you look in the mirror, after doing all this?"

Sabre glanced at him, an eyebrow lifted wryly. "Quite easily."

Fox had used the term sociopath before, but now felt it had never applied to a person better.

This guy...

"You might also be interested to know," Sabre said casually, "that I was the one who gave him the scar that is his namesake."

"Well," Fox said sarcastically, "I guess I can see why he hates you so much now."

"Hn."

Fox rolled his eyes.

"I understand that you are speaking to me to try and keep your mind off of the vixen's plight, but your incessant nagging is beginning to annoy me. Desist."

Fox turned away, his fists clenched.

And it had been working so well, too...

Sabre made a small, amused noise.

-

Gage wiped a bloody hand across his sweat-matted forehead, his other, also bloody, hand pressed tightly to the crimson gauze wrapped around Anaiya's middle.

The unconscious vixen lay in his lap, her head lolling against his shoulder as she continued to bleed. Penick and Ley were fine; Penick had gotten up almost immediately, accompanied by a minor concussion, and Ley had a few broken ribs from that overgrown lizard.

Jerhyn, on Gage's orders, had sealed all doors in the base. Hopefully, it would contain the spread of the virus. Dagger themselves were locked between an outer door and a blast door, supposedly protecting them.

Gage wouldn't bet much that it was working.

Ley approached him, a hand on her taped ribs. "How's she doing," the leopard asked softly, her breath mask wheezing.

Gage shrugged, glancing down at the limp Anaiya.

"'Bout the same," he replied, "still bleeding."

Ley sighed. "Guess that's one of the drawbacks of having a mechanical heart, huh?"

Gage grunted in agreement, then started a moment later as Anaiya shifted. He looked down to find her eyes open and alert, but slightly glazed with pain.

"Hey," she rasped, "why the hell am I not completely drugged up?"

Gage smirked down at her.

"You didn't sleep long enough, doc's not here yet."

Anaiya blinked slowly. "Oh." She turned slightly to stare at his shoulder, frowning as though trying to figure out what it was. Then she looked back up at him.

"Comfy," he asked.

"Yeah," she said absently, staring down at her bloody midsection. "This hurts," she commented, then coughed up a mouthful of blood on Gage's vest.

"Oh, thank you," Gage said wryly.

"No problem," she said, her voice weak.

"So, keep talking," Gage continued, "why'd you give me your mask?"

"Didn't need it," Anaiya slurred, motioning slightly towards her blood, "already sick. Gonna go back to sleep now."

"No no," Gage chided, "stay awake for a bit. What'd you mean, you're already sick?"

The vixen grunted lethargically. "Infected with prototype virus," she murmured, "slowin' it down with meds. Can't get worse from more."

"Idiot," Gage said, "that's like saying you can't get worse from being shot more."

His mind was racing. If she really was previously infected, and none of them were after being in contact with her, that meant it was contagious, the prototype at least. And now they finally had a sample. A vaccine was in the near future, hopefully.

But something didn't add up. Raaze was not stupid; the jaguar was always one step ahead of them. He had to know this attack wouldn't succeed. What was the point, then? There had to have been an ulterior motive. Something had to have been done to make the waste of soldiers worth it.

He doubted Raaze cared much about his soldiers' lives, though.

In any case, Anaiya seemed to be much more willing to give up sensitive information right now, and Gage felt only slightly guilty about taking advantage.

"So tell me a bit about your...career," he prodded. "Anything interesting?"

Anaiya considered, her eyelids drooping slightly.

"My longest sniper shot is 3,297 yards," she said, smilingly slightly. "Had to lead 'im by, like, a lot. Heh, they had no idea." Her eyes started to close, and Gage shook her.

"What else," he asked.

The vixen pursed her lips thoughtfully. "The jobs I take that aren't from Raaze are always more fun," she muttered, "there're sometimes others going for the same mark. That's fun, 'cause then it's harder. See, it doesn't count as your kill if you don't actually land the kill, get it? So it's like a race to kill the mark first. Like this one time, I had to take out this one guy, in a crowd, and there was this other dude tryin' for the same thing. So what I did was, I let the other guy see me, and I moved past the target real quick and shot him. Everyone started flipping out, and the dead guy's bodyguards saw the other guy, with his gun out, and they blew him away. Me, I just walked out of there." The vixen chuckled. "He underestimated me."

Her eyes hardened. "Just as you are."

Well, that didn't work out exactly as he'd hoped.

"I guess so," Gage said wryly, "I didn't expect you to be so aware, with an injury like this."

Anaiya snorted derisively. "I've always had a high pain threshold," she said. "And this isn't anything too special. Yeah, it hurts really, really bad, but that's about it. I once ran two miles on a broken ankle, and it doesn't get much harder than that. I don't have to do anything here."

"I see," Gage said, then winced. "Two miles. Ouch."

The vixen grunted. "Yeah. Good thing for the miracles of modern technology, or I'd have a limp the rest of my life." She hissed in pain as Gage readjusted the pressure on her wound. "What's the doctor's ETA?"

Gage shrugged. "Dunno. Haven't heard from Fox in a while."

Anaiya blinked. "Oh, he must be worried sick. I assume you told him I got ganked?"

"You got what?"

"Uh. Hurt."

"...Yes, I told him."

"Oh." She paused for a moment. "The rest of my team get out?"

Gage nodded an affirmative. "Yeah. They checked in a few minutes ago. Scar was asking about you." He frowned slightly. "The only one that did ask, actually."

Anaiya smiled slightly. "Yeah, he does that. Never told you about him, did I?" Her smile became slightly wistful. "He tries to act like my dad. I've known him since I was fourteen."

"How'd you start hanging out with a mercenary," Gage asked, genuinely curious.

The vixen's smile became significantly less cheerful. "My parents hired him to kill me," she said matter-of-factly.

Gage's eyebrows shot upward in surprise.

That was unexpected.

Anaiya chuckled mirthlessly at his expression. "Nice people, right? I wasn't quite the perfect daughter that they'd always wanted. Rich and powerful snobs, they were, and my behavior was just not acceptable. So when I finally had enough and left, they didn't want that black mark on their name. It would garner much more sympathy if their _cherished_ daughter was abducted and killed. After the first attempt failed, I think they were just pissed I _dared_ stay alive."

"...Wow," Gage said finally, "didn't see that coming. So, how did all of this happen?"

Anaiya grimaced. "I suppose I can say it now instead of later, but you're gonna have to tell Foxy if he asks. I'm not repeating it." She waited for Gage's nod. "Alright. So, my parents had started this really successful starship company, and made a _ton_ of cash off of it. You wouldn't believe how much, 'cause the ships were really good; reliable, efficient, the whole she-bang, and quickly hit the top of the charts. 'Course, like typical greedy money-grubbers, it went straight to their heads. Obsessive, couldn't get enough, all that shit."

She was silent for a moment, brooding. Then she continued. "Not sure why they had a kid, really. Probably was an accident, and an abortion would've looked bad. Or something. Anyway, I happened. As early as I can remember, I never listened to them. I wasn't the type of kid to sit around at dinner parties, looking nice but staying quiet. Just wasn't my thing. That grated their nerves so much. They expected me to obey their every command, for some reason. Well, I didn't. And they hated me for it. Never really were the parenting type. Never were affectionate, no hugs, kisses, any of that. I got backhands far more often than anything nice.

"As you can imagine, I hated them as much as they hated me. So I stole some money, paid a homeless person to pretend to be my parent so I could get on the transport, and got out of there."

The vixen's smile was nostalgic. "When Scar finally got to Corneria and tracked me down, he found a little girl putting on a brave face and brandishing a butterfly knife, which she promptly cut herself with. Luckily for me, I suppose, the big softie couldn't bear the thought of killing a little girl. Instead, he started taking care of me, more or less, his conscience not allowing him to leave me on my own. He taught me basic weapon skills, better pickpocketing, and checked in on me whenever he had some free time."

Gage was silent for a moment, digesting the new information. "Tell me more."

Anaiya continued. "It was only a year or two, after I'd lied my way into the Cornerian Academy, before my parents sent another hitman after me, and this one didn't have the moral issues Scar did. I evaded him for a couple of days before he caught up with me."

There wasn't a smile on the vixen's face now. "It's one thing to hire someone to kill your daughter. It's quite another to hire a man like _that_ to do it. This doesn't get back to Fox, by the way."

Gage, with a sinking feeling, knew where this was going.

Anaiya's eyes were hard and cold. "A sadist-and other 'ists' as well- alone with a helpless girl he was going to kill anyway? Use your imagination."

Gage felt her muscles slowly tensing up.

"Scar showed up not long after he started and kicked the shit out of the guy before he managed to slip away. Nezdek Valez." Her eyes narrowed. "He went to ground immediately after that, but I'll find him someday."

Gage wondered how to respond to that. He couldn't really condone her vigilante murder plot, much as he wanted to.

"Good luck," he said finally.

Anaiya smiled faintly.

"So did the hit attempts continue," Gage asked.

"They would never stop coming after me, vindictive bastards," the vixen replied, "after the first one, it was more about me _daring_ to stay alive than anything. So, I had to get them before they got me."

"You hired a hit on them?"

"No." Her eyes glittered coldly. "I killed them myself.

"It was really easy to get on their private yacht; most of the staff remembered me and opened the doors. After Scar's crash course on being a mercenary, it was simple enough to plant a charge on the navigation controls. After that, I went to my parent's room and shot them."

Gage schooled his face to stillness. "Just like that? Just...shot them?"

"It was supposed to be an execution, not a family reunion," the vixen said, "but they managed to let me know how horrible a daughter I'd always been." She frowned slightly. "Something my father said still bothers me. Before he died, he said, 'well, at least you can do _something_ you were supposed to.' No idea what he meant by that. And the rest is history."

Something that had been hovering in the back of Gage's mind suddenly seemed like a good opportunity for a topic change, so he spoke up.

"Okay, a high pain threshold is one thing, but really, how are you still awake, let alone pain free?"

"I'm not pain _free_," she protested, "just not pain _full_."

Gage looked at her.

Anaiya sighed, then taped the base HUD her eyepiece protruded from. "There's tiny amounts of a neuro-painkiller stored here, and it's injected when I'm wounded. Deadens inflamed nerve endings. Repeated use is unraveling the receptors, so in some ares I can't feel pain at all."

"Or anything else," Gage said. "You're destroying your body for an edge in a mission?"

The vixen shrugged. "Sometimes," she said carelessly, "sacrifices have to be made. I don't have a problem with making a sacrifice like that."

"Why not?"

Anaiya raised an eyebrow. "What else do I need it for," she asked.

"What do you think Fox would say about that," Gage prodded, ignoring her question.

The vixen's face hardened. "Fox and I can never be together," she said flatly, her voice tinged with bitterness. "The kind of person he is can't coexist with someone like me. It's actually better this way."

And suddenly, Gage understood her.

She had known nothing but pain and hate her whole life. She'd had one shot at a normal life with Fox, and that was stolen from her. Being Raaze's thrall had warped her into something cold and vengeful. All she had was the mission. That was why she was willing to sacrifice her health. She had given up everyone she'd ever cared about, so they would be protected. She had absolutely nothing and no one to go to, for anything. There was nothing left for her to give.

What a strong woman.

Gage pitied her.

"Why're you staring at me like that?" Anaiya's sharp voice snapped him out of his daze.

He shrugged. "No reason," he lied casually.

The vixen's suspicious eyes bored into him. Gage met her stare with a level look.

The outer blast door clicked.

Instantly, everyone swung around, sidearms clearing their holsters in a second.

The doors opened with a hiss, and figures in bright orange hazmat suits flooded inside. Gage and his teammates lowered their weapons immediately, and Anaiya hesitated only a moment before following suit.

"I hate doctors," she groused, shooing away a pair of stretcher-bearing medics that beelined for her. "Go away, I can walk by myself."

Gage chose not to comment as he helped her up.

Much as she grumbled, the vixen allowed them to attach all the required IVs, clips, monitors, and all the rest of that stuff.

After much grousing from Anaiya and much more wheedling and coaxing from the doctors (Gage contributed a bit), the vixen finally climbed onto a gurney, scowling with her arms crossed.

Not pouting, of course. Brooding.

Uh huh.

"So how did those work out for you," she asked, pointing at Gage's HUD.

"Very well, actually," the vulpine replied, "thanks again for them."

Anaiya waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about..."

She trailed off. "Oh."

That was it; a surprised 'oh'.

The heart monitor flatlined with a shrill warning as Anaiya slumped backwards, a confused frown on her face.

Gage's eyes widened in surprise.

"She's crashing," one of the medics yelled, rushing to the limp vixen's side. "Get me a crash cart over here!"

"Her heart's artificial," Gage told him, his voice steady.

The doctor glanced at him for a moment. "Scratch that," he amended, "grab the flash cloner!"

Gage was shoved roughly out of the way by scurrying medics and watched as they rushed the gurney out the doors.

"See you at the hospital, then," he murmured.

-

Raaze tossed the remote to the floor and looked at it for a moment.

The indicator was red.

With a tiny smile, the jaguar crushed the useless device beneath his heel, grinding it to dust.

If his hypotheses was correct, this would certainly be a day of days. If not...

Well, then she was useless after all.

The feline held out a small case to Shran. "Bring this to Dr. Tobias in the lab," he instructed. "Tell him to perform the tests I've outlined on the blood sample, and to also make the necessary adjustments to the Ragnarok virus. The beta test has revealed some flaws that need to be corrected."

Shran bowed his head. "As you command," he hissed, then strode off, heading in the direction of the hangar.

Raaze smiled.

Andross had been a fool; ambitious and powerful, yes, but a fool nonetheless. He had overextended his forces and underestimated his enemies, particularly Fox McCloud. Even as StarFox retook planet after planet, he remained arrogant, sure of his 'unbeatable' might. He had done nothing, too cowardly to risk his own flagship, even though it was by far the most powerful tool in his arsenal.

Raaze was neither a coward nor a fool. _His_ plan would succeed. Once he had acquired the purification device being used to cleanse Zoness, he would revitalize Venom, and make the planet habitable. After that, surgical strikes with the Ragnarok virus would ensure that the Cornerians were kept off-balance long enough.

Venom would rise again. And when their armada swept across Lylat this time, even StarFox would not be enough to stop them.

-

Fox sat in the hospital waiting room, his head in his hands.

He was not having a good day.

Her heart had stopped. Gage had called him, promising to be there as soon as the screenings were done, and Fox had turned and given Sabre such a venomous look.

The black vulpine had shrugged at him. "It seems he wants her out of the way" was all he said before disappearing.

Shaking with rage, Fox had stormed out of the van and run smack into Scar, the wolverine frantic with worry, for some reason. He'd told Fox to get in and promptly drove to the hospital, not waiting for Ayame to show up.

They almost hadn't been allowed in, even with Fox there, until Scar had reluctantly surrendered his rifle. He was now pacing the hall in front of Fox, scowling ferociously.

Fox wondered why he cared so much.

The doctors were all very insistent that he and Scar _not_ be allowed in to see her, even after the surgery was over. They weren't sure she was virus-free, even though the initial screening had turned up nothing.

If the surgery was successful, that is. It seemed that, since the mechanical heart had failed, they would have to create a new one, either another mechanical one or a cloned real organ. Fox sincerely hoped she got a real one. It would make things so much easier. She could get away from all of it, then.

If she survived.

The waiting room door opened, and both Fox and Scar swung around to face Gage, Ley, and Penick as the trio entered.

"Hey," Fox said, standing up. "You guys okay?"

Gage nodded, rubbing his face tiredly. "We're clean. Apparently, it's inhale or injection only. For now, at least. The base is quarantined." He nodded towards the surgery ward doors. "How's she doing?"

Fox shrugged despondently. "They won't let us in yet," he muttered.

Scar growled something under his breath and resumed pacing. Gage glanced over at him with a look of understanding, which made no sense to Fox.

"So why're you two here," Fox continued, looking to Ley and Penick.

Ley looked mildly offended. "Her diversion helped out a lot. The least we can do is make sure she's alive."

Penick grunted in agreement.

"And you?" Fox turned to Scar questioningly. "The other two didn't come. Why did you?"

Scar snorted derisively.

"The other two don't mean anything," he spat. "Ayame, dumb bitch that she is, probably doesn't even know, and Sabre couldn't give a shit either way. Anaiya's not just another associate to me. She's..."

The wolverine trailed off with an angry snarl and spun away.

Fox stared at him, then turned to Gage as the surgery ward doors swung open.

A raccoon stepped out, dressed in a doctor's uniform.

His gloves were stained red, and his face was resigned.

He stared at them for a moment, then sighed. "I have some bad news for you," he said quietly, then shook his head. "The heart took, it did, she was there, but something happened..." The raccoon shook his head again.

"I'm sorry," he finished. "We lost her."

And Fox's world ended.

-

Black.

Dark.

Cold.

Pain.

Flash.

"_You thought I had run out of fall backs? My dear, you underestimate me."_

Flash.

_"Sic semper tyrannus, my old master."_

Flash.

_"The virus _will _be released. It's too late to stop it now."_

Flash.

_"McCloud is otherwise engaged, but Captain Birse is on his way here. I want you to kill him."_

Flash.

_You are an enigma. What you do in this life shall alter the course of fate."_

Flash.

_"I didn't want to do this, but you don't give me any other choice. I'm sorry."_

Flash.

_"Do you honestly believe you can defeat me? You have no idea of the power I've gained."_

Flash.

_"I'm afraid the_ Raven's Flight _will become the first causality of this conflict. Reines is hardly worth the effort."_

Flash.

"_What I am doing...Is for the good of everyone." _Flash._"I don't understand. How can you do this?" _Flash. _"But...you...how? You can't..." _Flash. _"Once a traitor, always a traitor, Ishanah. You should have known that." _Flash. _"You know what must be done, don't you?" _Flash "_civil war"_flash_"far too late to stop me"_flash_"take her out, end the line"_flash_"things like that aren't possible!"_flash_"she's the source of it all"_flash_"blood calls to blood"_flash_"the pain is nothing"_

Flash.

_"No, not any more. Now..._

_"I am Genesis." _

Light.

Surprise.

Panic.

A touch.

Reaction.

Blood sprayed.

Another touch.

Reaction.

Something cracked.

Sounds; shouts, voices.

Movement; roll.

Had to get out.

From where?

Someone grabbed her, shouted in her ear.

She lashed out, struggling, didn't break free.

The person continued speaking in her ear. It started to register.

"_Calm_ down. It's us. Look around. You're fine."

The world came back into focus, and Anaiya realized a few things immediately:

She'd just knocked Fox out with a temple strike.

Gage had her arms pinned behind her and speaking quietly and quickly in her ear, blood dripping from somewhere onto her shoulder.

She was alive.

Oh.

Interesting.

This needed some explaining.

Something else she found interesting: her thoughts were perfectly coherent and orderly, as usual, but she was feeling significantly _less_ coherent, and it was very clear.

How annoying.

The vixen blinked rapidly, her chest heaving.

Her first words were quite articulate, and basically summed up everything she was feeling:

"The fuck?"

-

Ten minutes, about eight hundred confused doctors, a somewhat groggy Fox, a tissue for Gage's bloody nose, and a few dozen questions later, Anaiya leaned back in her hospital bed with a sigh, toying with Gage's knife. The doctors had taken all of hers and put them in a box across the room, with _strict_ orders not to move.

Assholes.

"Damn doctors," she grumbled, "you'd think they'd be able to decide if I was dead or not right away. Hmph."

Fox chuckled, grinning. He hadn't stopped smiling since he'd woken up. She'd figured he'd be grumpy about being smacked around.

Huh. Oh well.

The vixen frowned and wiped a smudge of _something_ from her HUD's eyepiece before refitting it around her head.

"Can't you leave that thing off for even a few minutes," Fox asked, his smile fading slightly.

Anaiya frowned at him. "Um, why would I do that," she asked quizzically.

Her HUD pinged,signaling an incoming call. Wasn't that good timing?

"Because we're going to have that talk now, and it's got to do with that." He pointed at the device. "Sort of."

Anaiya grimaced for a moment. The ping sounded again.

She gave in. "Alright then," she sighed, and removed the HUD from her head.

Fox smiled at her. "Thanks."

She waved dismissively. "Yup."

It was just her, Fox, and Gage in the room. She'd sent Scar off to special order some of those energy swords for her. She wouldn't be caught off guard next time. The vixen assumed Sabre had merely hijacked the cameras to check on her, not bothering to visit, and Ayame probably didn't even know where she was. Dagger had left after wishing her a speedy recovery, which was awfully nice of them.

Anaiya stretched a bit, wincing as the tear in her stomach ached. "Alright, then. Talk."

Fox nodded and took a breath. "I want to get you out of this," he said in a rush, then paused, waiting for a response.

Anaiya looked at him for a moment.

Then snorted in amusement.

Fox frowned at her. "I'm serious."

Anaiya nodded. "Yeah, me too."

"With a real heart now, Raaze doesn't have a hold on you. You can just-"

Anaiya snorted again, shaking her head. "Oh, Fox," she said affectionately. "You really don't get it. Raaze isn't the reason I'm a mercenary." She gestured down at herself. "This job, this life. I'm made for it. Sure, now I don't have to worry about Raaze killing me on a whim, but I've still got enemies. There are plenty of people who'd like to see me dead, whether I'm an assassin or a business lady. And really, can you honestly see me working behind a desk or something? Because I can't. I'm one of the best in the business. Why would I give that up?"

Mostly true, that.

"So you enjoy killing people?"

Now, that wasn't really fair.

Anaiya's eyes hardened. "I didn't say that."

"Then why can't you just forget this," Fox asked heatedly, "join StarFox, be a mercenary with us. Or join the military, something besides this."

Gage made a small noise in the back of his throat.

"I've got too many enemies for that," Anaiya said gently. "Way too many to join up with you. You guys would constantly be in danger." She didn't deign to respond to the military comment.

She felt her HUD vibrate again in her lap.

Persistent guy.

"I know you're trying to help," she said quickly as Fox opened his mouth again, "but I can't leave this profession. It just will never work. If you have to continue this debate, do it later. Right now, I've got some things to say about our current situation. I'll...I'll think about it. The thought has crossed my mind before."

Fox acquiesced with a disgruntled sigh, and Gage perked up.

"First off," Anaiya said, turning to Gage, "Raaze has got some of Andross' leftover toys; biological experiments, some of that. The most important piece of info you should relate to your bosses would be his flagship."

Gage's eyes narrowed. "I think I know where this is going," he said slowly, "and I don't like it."

Anaiya nodded grimly. "You guessed right. Andross' flagship, _Might of Venom_, was never destroyed. The ape wasn't willing to risk losing it, so it remained hidden on the fringes of space. Raaze, however, has no such inhibitions. He's renamed it the _Hand of Vengeance,_ and he's quite willing to use it. I've seen it a few times; the firepower on that thing is insane. No single ship in the Cornerian Navy can stop it. Hell, three capital ships might not even force a retreat."

Gage sighed. "Yeah, that's what I was afraid you were gonna say."

"Well, at least you know for sure now. Besides that, his fleet is fairly extensive; he's been busy all these years. It couldn't take the Cornerian fleet in a straight on fight, not with the _Hand_, but it's nothing to laugh off. Oh, clarification: he hasn't got any of the actual bioweapons, those ridiculously overrated monsters, but he does have some of the bio-augmentations left over. And augmented people, as well, like Shran. I'm guessing he's used some on himself as well, which would explain how he moved so fast."

"I was wondering about that," Gage agreed.

"Yeah, well-wow, really?"

The vixen glared down at the HUD in her lap, which was vibrating.

Again.

"You guys'll have to excuse me for a moment," she said tartly, "there's a very impatient asshole who keeps calling me, and it's getting very irritating."

"You can't take it while we're in here," Gage asked, a small, wry smile on his face.

"Nope," Anaiya assured him briskly, "client confidentiality, and all."

Yet, they still seemed reluctant to leave her on her own.

Guess they had learned a few things.

"Oh, come on," she said impatiently, "my life signs are being monitored; the doc'll be in here in two seconds if anything goes wrong. And where could I run off to? You'll be outside the only door. You think I'm going to jump out the window?"

Heh.

Heh heh.

"That would be something, wouldn't it," Fox mused.

Gage looked at her, his eyes narrowed calculatingly. He glanced at the window for a moment.

Anaiya was having a hard time holding back a laugh. She shooed them out. "Go on, get out," she commanded. "This shouldn't take long."

"Alright," Fox said, squeezing her hand and standing. He walked out, Gage in tow. Dagger's captain shot her one more suspicious glance, then parted with "it's the 39th floor. Don't do anything stupid."

Anaiya rolled her eyes and picked up her HUD, shoving it somewhat roughly onto her head as it vibrated _again_. As she did, her eyes passed over a transfusion bag, the blood half gone.

_Blood calls to blood._

Anaiya blinked. Where had that thought come from? She remembered flashes during her...second death. Fragmented images, voices...

Did it actually mean anything, or was it just her brain going haywire?

Ugh.

She opened the channel, scowling.

"What," she said without preamble.

"Got a job. High profile hit. Interested?" Just as blunt as she was.

Anaiya thought about it. Really thought about it. Thought about _not_ doing it, that is. She always took contracts.

Fox wanted her to stop. She didn't want to stop. Not _really._ Just...

Sometimes. Sometimes she did. But why would she stop, when she was so damn good at it?

One last job. One final job, until this whole thing blew over. Then they could talk about it.

Fuck the military. That would never happen.

The vixen's eyes fell on her gear, piled neatly in the corner.

"Give me the details. I'm in."

-

Fox was still smiling, even as the door to Anaiya's room closed behind him.

She was alive. That was all that mattered right now. They could argue about her career choice afterwards.

Gage was frowning. Of course.

"What's wrong," Fox asked.

"They still don't know how her heart restarted," Dagger's captain mused, "things don't work like that."

"Yeah, I know," Fox said, his smile fading slightly, "but she's alive. I don't know how, but she is. Right now, that's all I really care about."

Gage nodded. "Agreed."

His head snapped up a moment later as a doctor rushed around the corner towards them.

"Out of the way," he called.

The two vulpines jumped aside immediately, and the doctor jerked the doors to Anaiya's room open.

Her heart monitor was flatlined and shrilling.

But the bed was empty.

Fox swore loudly. "Where did she go," he asked disbelievingly, "we're at the only door."

Gage started laughing.

Fox stared at him.

"The window," Gage chuckled, "she _told_ us what she was going to do."

"But- How?! We're forty floors up! And it's not like you can just _open_ the..."

He trailed off, looking at the small hole drilled in the glass window/wall of the room.

The doctor walked back to them, shaking his head. He handed Fox a small note.

"Your friend has one twisted sense of humor," he told them, then walked off.

Fox frowned and read the note.

_Never trust a vixen, you guys._

_I'd like to play a bit of a game, because I feel like it. I'm going out on a job, somewhere in the city. It's a hit on a corrupt politician. Public place, lots of people. Try and find me. You get double points if you somehow manage to stop me. Oh, and you can use other people to help, too. Anything you need._

_Let's see what you've got, Gage. No more hiding behind falsehoods. Don't disappoint me._

Fox sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. "A game. Sometimes, that woman..."

He glanced at Gage and rolled his eyes.

Dagger's captain had a gleam in his eye. "This should be interesting," he said.

-

Raaze was exultant.

_Everything_ was falling into place, even the new developments. Anaiya had survived. It was _perfect._

"Your parents truly were geniuses," he said softly. "Now, let's even the odds a bit here."

He turned to the flight ensign on the bridge.

"Get me StarWolf," he said, smirking.

-

Fun. A bit shorter than some, but I'm a bit rushed for time right now, and I wanted to get this out before all my finals swamp me. Expect more after finals are done.


	14. Chapter Eleven: High Stakes Game

Oh mu gawd, he IS alive.

Been a while, hasn't it? I've been busy. You know when you think everyone and everything's out to get you? Yeah, a few weeks of my summer was like that. Didn't end well.

Also, lots of trivia in here. References to lots of different stuff. Keep an eye out.

Anyway, carry on.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya and her team are mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc.

* * *

Chapter Eleven: High Stakes Game

--"I think a certain... finesse is called for here. GUWAAAHRAAGHAGHAGHAGHA!"

**Pit Lord**, _Warcraft 3_

But seriously:

**--**Necessity has no law.

**William Langland**

Anaiya shrugged into her bodysuit, nodding in satisfaction at the familiar feel. Exactly as she remembered it, but a bit uncomfortable around her middle.

A bunch of bandages wrapped around a gaping claw wound would do that.

Well, time to get down to business. How to escape the enormous building, without going out the door, twenty seconds after she disconnected the heart monitor?

Sounded fun.

The vixen tapped her chin thoughtfully.

Hmm.

After a moment, Anaiya pulled two grappling hookshot attachments from her backpack and strapped them tightly to her wrists. The devices locked into the wrist guards built into her suit, the one on her right hand with a hole in it to make sure she could still use her wrist blade. After those were secure, the vixen drew a small plasma torch from a different pouch and laid it on her bed.

She smiled.

She loved her toys.

An idea came to her suddenly, and she smirked, a tinge of excitement touching her.

This would be fun.

The vixen picked up the small datapad on her bedside table and scrawled a short note across it.

Now, game time.

She tore the IV from her arm and ripped the wires from their various locations around her body. The monitors flatlined and shrilled a warning.

Anaiya turned quickly and snatched up the cutting torch, flicking the blue plasma to life. She placed the device against the glass wall overlooking the city and spun it in a large circle, slicing a neat hole into the material. The pane of cut glass fell inward.

Anaiya figured she should pay for the damages later.

Without a moment's hesitation, she took a small running start and dived out of the window, on the 40th floor, firing one of her hookshots into the side of the building as she did.

She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the wind whip past her, and merely savored the exhilaration that came with an unsupported fall from such a distance.

Much as she enjoyed free fall, there wasn't really time to savor it now. The hookshot's cord went taut, and she began to swing to the left.

The hookshot had quite an ingenious design. Each of the three metal gripping spikes had a tiny plasma blade generator integrated into them, activating for the briefest of moments on impact to secure a solid grip for the hook. On mental command, they were activated again, releasing the hook and allowing for reuse. Quite handy, and the cord could hold almost a ton of weight.

Anaiya did not weight a ton. She'd be fine.

The wind rippled through her fur as the vixen sped through the air, extending her other arm and firing off another grapple to connect with the adjacent building.

Funnily enough, none of this would have been possible if someone hadn't decided to shove all these buildings so close together.

Once her second grapple was attached, Anaiya released the first hook and continued her swinging.

She wondered how she must look from the ground. Quite amusing, probably.

Now, she needed to find a lower rooftop...

Anaiya looked around through her one open, HUD-shielded eye; the biting wind was irritating to her exposed one.

There: her wishes were granted in the form of a slightly shorter office complex one building down. With a quick jerk of her hooks, the vixen rotated in the air to come down onto the roof, hitting the ground in a roll-

Flash.

_-and having to suppress a scream of pain-_

Flash.

-and suppressing a scream of pain as her stomach wound tore open.

Only a strangled whimper escaped her clenched teeth as she curled into a small ball, clutching her middle. She felt blood leaking out and pooling in her impermeable bodysuit.

Wow, that hurt like a _bitch._ And it was decidedly uncomfortable to have a puddle of blood swirling around in your clothes. Although, it was less of a puddle than a congealing mass of sticky wetness spreading slowly around her middle.

Anaiya gave a tight smirk. Good to know she could still keep her head after jumping out of a forty story window.

And swinging across town.

And falling ten stories onto a roof.

And splitting her stomach open.

And making a crimson swimming pool in her suit.

Mmhm. Very good start to the mission.

Oh yes.

…

Shit.

Well, she'd certainly had better starts, but this wasn't quite an all-time low.

The vixen lay still for another moment, allowing the painkiller to flow through her body and numb it.

A perfect time to review her mission log, right?

Sort of.

Her HUD brought up the file.

So:

_Target: Ramiro Vasquez. Aged weasel, gray fur, consistently dresses in black business suits. _

_Location: Appeasing public protesters outside City Hall._

_Time: Variable. Appearance is not concrete. _

_Reasons for termination: Embezzlement, bribery, deliberate sabotage in the passing of beneficial restoration laws, suspected ties to various criminal organizations and the Venomian Remnant. _

Anaiya raised an eyebrow, the pain abating. Another good guy, for the poor, oppressed and helpless citizens mission.

Che. She'd basically be doing everyone a favor.

How annoying. Totally not her style. She wondered who this contract was from. Sometimes politicians called in hits on each other, either because they genuinely wanted to help and felt this was the only option, or were just assholes who the mark ticked off.

Or something.

Her com pinged.

Anaiya rolled her eyes. She'd wondered how long it'd take them to think of calling her. Should be fun.

She activated the device, waiting for the inevitable whining-

"_Aaannnnnaaaiyyyyyaaaa!"_

The heartbroken wail she received made her jerk slightly in surprise, more at the volume than anything.

Ayame sounded rather upset.

"_Where did you all _goooo? You LEFT me there, by myself! I couldn't find anyone, and then all the guys playing soldier dress-up almost SHOT me, and I was like 'whoa, HANG on bro,' but they weren't having none of it, so then-"

This was getting ridiculous. Anaiya cut her off before she blew out the speakers.

"Ayame, _Ayame_," she said firmly, "chill. Out."

Silence.

"Good. Now, go and find Jerhyn. I think Scar left him there too. Find him, and then meet up with Scar and the others. I'll be back as soon as I can. Okay?"

More silence.

…

Ayame hung up.

Anaiya rolled her eyes.

Well, nothing for it. Time to get moving. The angry civilian protesters were already where they were supposed to be, but she had to wait for Vasquez to show up.

Well, she also had to get there, after she cleaned up a bit and grabbed her gear.

The vixen, feeling no pain, pushing herself upright and, after latching her hookshot to the edge of the roof, leaped over the side.

* * *

Shela grunted as she stumbled and fell to the floor, tears springing to her eyes as she landed on her injured leg. She heard the roar of her opponent's weapon, and flinched as Carland's blood splattered her. The female avian attempted to roll away, but a heavy boot stomped down on her back, preventing her from moving any further.

"You didn't _really_ think you could get away from me, did you," the silky voice of her soon-to-be killer whispered in her ear. "From _me_, Shroud Ragehunter? My prey does not escape. I _always_ make the kill. You are no different from any other mark I've had, Shela."

The avian spat. "Fine then," she said coldly, "finish me."

"Not quite yet, I think," Shroud decided, then rolled her over with his foot.

The ocelot was dressed casually in light greens and grays, with a combat harness over his shirt. A dark green headband was wrapped around his forehead. He twirled a sawed-off _five_-barreled shotgun around one finger. Who even _made_ weapons like that?

Shroud smirked down at her. "Finishing you would be far too quick and easy," he said callously, "so how about I-"

He cut off as his comm pinged, and the ocelot rolled his eyes, activating the device. "Rogosh, your timing really couldn't be much worse," he complained.

There was a silence from the other end of the line, then Rogosh said "Uh, sorry Shroud, but-"

"No, really," Shroud continued, "I was about to get to the coolest and most intimidating part, and now you spoiled everything. Do you know how long I prepared these next few lines?"

"No, Shroud," Rogosh said, sounding tired of speaking to the ocelot already, "now shut up and listen. Someone hired a hit on one of the politicians we've got on our side-"

"Since when do the Black Vipers have polies bought off," Shroud cut in, his foot not moving from the nonplussed Shela's chest. "Be frank with me. Actually, no, be Rogosh with me. We get things done faster that way. Frank is _such_ a pussyfoot."

"Polies? What- Oh. Stop interrupting me!" This 'Rogosh' was a bit agitated. "Now, all you need to know is that someone is trying to kill someone else. All you have to_ do_ is stop them."

"So I'm supposed to _not_ kill someone, and save someone else from being killed? You're really taking all the fun out of this, Rogosh."

"It's not supposed to be fun. Just do it."

The line went dead.

Shroud sighed. "Well, sorry Shela, but he ruined everything I had planned. You're just going to have to settle for this, then."

The five-barreled shotgun snapped down to point at her face, and fired.

* * *

Levantine'sblade was sharp enough, Isren decided as he polished the deep crimson blade. The weapon gleamed in the somewhat dreary lighting of his ship, the _Nostromo._

With a small sigh, the white tiger returned the sword to its sheath and reattached the weapon to its belt. Isren hung the belt over his shoulder, so the hilt of the sword hung down by his hip.

Satisfied, the tiger removed the weapon and laid it down on the workbench alongside his canister rifle. With a roll of his shoulders, Isren stood and returned to the cockpit, absently brushing the blue strip of fur that ran behind his ear.

He glanced regretfully at the empty, red-blinking missile counter on the control board as he sat down.

Business was a bit slow, as of late.

With a few keystrokes, the _Nostromo's _engines activated, and the ship lumbered away from the blank space it had resided, in the middle of nowhere on a random course jump.

Isren considered himself to have a suspicious nature.

His console pinged, signaling an incoming message.

Isren stared at the blinking light, lips pursed and eyes narrowed. Slowly, he stretched out a hand and activated it, keeping the feed audio only and making sure to reroute the message so his position couldn't be traced.

He waited quietly.

Silence from the other end.

Isren kept waiting.

More silence.

Isren was quite patient.

Someone chuckled from the other end. "I see. Very well, I'll bite. I have a proposition for you, Isren."

"How did you come by this number," the tiger demanded, not recognizing the voice. Whoever it was was probably feline; the voice had that silky, purring undertone.

The voice snickered again. "I have quite a few resources at my disposal. Being in command of the Venomian Remnant allows some privileges."

The Remnant. Not Isren's favorite customers, but he still took their job offers from time to time.

"I'm listening for another twelve seconds," he said.

"To the point, I see. Very well. One of the Cornerian senators in my payroll has a very important memory disc in his possession. He's expecting you. Take it and kill him. There are also other agents trying to eliminate him. Get to Vasquez before they do, and then kill them as well, if you can. You will be compensated accordingly, and there is a package waiting for you with your contact. Consider it a gift. He will pay you once it's done."

"That was more than twelve seconds," Isren pointed out.

The man on the other end hung up.

Isren sat back in his chair, thinking.

After a moment, he set course for Corneria, switching to a false transponder tag. _Nostromo _was temporarily out of commission.

The _Chimaera_ jumped to hyperspace.

* * *

"I thought she'd at least wait a few minutes before pulling something like that," Gage said as he followed Fox out of the hospital, Scar on their heels. "She did just get impaled not too long ago. And get a heart replacement."

Yes, Fox remembered the doctor telling them how they'd replaced what they thought was a malfunctioning artificial heart with another, remote shut off-free, one.

Scar snorted. "That girl doesn't wait for anything," he muttered, "least of all injuries. I've yelled at her enough times to know."

"Yeah, well," Fox said moodily, "I'll do some yelling of my own once we catch up to her."

He was not happy. 'We'll talk after', she said.

Hmph.

Scar...

...laughed at him. "_If_ we catch her," he corrected, "it'll be because she _wants_ us to catch her. That girl's been running since she was fourteen. You think she's not better than _you_ at it? How would you have gotten out that window?"

Gage grunted, mildly offended. "We can find her," he said confidently.

Fox had been wondering about something, and now he voiced it. "What are you going to do about her," he asked. "She's breaking the law all over the place. Can you just, ignore that?"

There was a pensive look on Gage's face, and he took a moment to reply. "I think," he said slowly, "the help and information she's supplying us with is enough compensation for her trying to take out a corrupt politician. It'll go over easier if she doesn't actually kill him, though."

Fox frowned slightly, but accepted the explanation. Though, it did sound a bit weak to him.

"Well?" Gage looked at Scar impatiently. "You going to call her or what?"

The wolverine huffed. "Of course I am." He dug around in his pocket for a moment, then pulled out a small device. Dialing in a number, Scar held it out in the middle of the three of them.

The call connected immediately, and-

"For fuck's sake, _who is it this time?! Three calls_ in the last twenty seconds!_"_

Anaiya didn't sound too happy.

"Hey!" Scar's voice cracked like a whip. "Watch your mouth!"

Gage seemed to find that highly amusing. Fox could _see_ Anaiya, wherever she was, rolling her eyes.

"Scar," she said, her tone slightly amused, "I'm not ten. Chill out."

"I don't care, there's no reason to curse like that."

"Whatever, hypocrite. Did you want something?"

"_I_ wanted to tell you you're being an idiot and reckless, as usual, but there's two other people here who, I think, have something else to say."

"Oh." She didn't sound surprised. "Alright, then. Let's hear it; I've got things to do."

"Scar's right," Fox said bluntly, "you're being an idiot."

"Well, good to finally hear you come out of your shell," the vixen said cheerfully.

Fox blinked, then shook his head. "Where are you?"

"Oh, come on Fox, that would be _way_ too easy."

"This isn't a _game_," Fox growled, starting to finally lose his temper.

"Of course it is. Why do you think I left the note? If it wasn't a game, I wouldn't have given you any chance to figure out what I was going to do."

"I can't believe you're doing this, right after everything that just happened. There's more important things going on than a way to earn some damn money!"

Gage was giving him a calculating look.

Anaiya snorted. "I see. So, is that the general consensus?"

Fox looked at Gage, his jaw clenched at the casual dismissal. Didn't she care at all?

Dagger's captain took a moment to reply. "I don't think you'd be doing something so...pointless, in the middle of all of this, without a good reason." He paused. "But I've been wrong before."

The vixen chuckled, her voice crackling with momentary static. "Well, you nailed it this time." Her tone lost it's playful edge suddenly, and she was serious. "The target's dirty. And I mean 'traitor' dirty, not 'I take money for votes' dirty."

Scar seemed indifferent, but Fox and Gage leaned forward slightly.

"Who is it?" Gage asked.

"Now, I'd tell you, but I'm not a _complete_ idiot. The game's still on, as I'm sure you're aware."

Gage grimaced. Apparently, he had been aware. "Well," he said, "what happens when we win?"

There was a pause. "Oh, I get it," Anaiya said after a minute. "I didn't understand you at first. I thought you said 'when', which wouldn't really make sense, but _if_ you manage to find me, I'll play nice for the rest of the whole ordeal. If you somehow manage to _stop_ me, then I'll even let you in on a few secrets you might find interesting. If _I_ win, however, well..."

They could hear the wicked grin in her voice.

"We'll see" was all Gage responded with.

"I think I've given you enough hints already," Anaiya continued, "so we'll leave it there. You may have the super-awesome Dagger team and whatnot, but I cheat. And I'm sure Sabre'll give me a hand if I ask nicely. Also, I sent poor Ayame your way; you left her behind."

"Purposefully," Scar muttered.

"Yeah, well, anyway, she's headed over there. Do whatever you want. In the meanwhile, I've got to prepare. And get new bandages; I'm bleeding all over the place."

That was one of the _last_ things Fox wanted to hear.

"Your wound ripped," he said, shaking his head. "Damn it Anaiya, it's too soon! You just had a heart transplant! Your body isn't ready for the abuse you put it through!"

"My body's a lost cause," the vixen said casually, "it's already screwed. Good thing for the miracles of modern medicine, stimpaks, and adrenaline, yeah? And a heart transplant?" She went silent for a minute. "Cool. No more kill switch. I can work with that."

Fox's fist clenched. Enough was enough. "You really don't care, do you? About yourself, or anyone else. What about me, and Katt, and everyone else who cares about you?"

"The list is abysmally short," she reminded him, stoking his anger.

"So what?! We _care_, and you don't give a shit about us!"

The room was silent.

"I knew you were going to say that," Anaiya said slowly.

"Well, it's pretty obvious, isn't-"

"No," she interrupted, "I _knew. _Right before you said it, I..."

She trailed off into silence. Scar, Gage, and Fox exchanged glances.

"Anaiya," Scar prodded.

"I'm gonna head out," the vixen said, sounding quite distracted, "talk to you guys later."

She closed the line.

"The hell was that about," Gage wondered aloud.

Scar, however, had different things on his mind. "You get that, Jerhyn," he called.

"Yeah," the cat said happily, emerging from the hallway, "I managed to trace her while you guys were talking. She's just a few blocks down, but moving away fast."

Gage grinned. "Clever."

Fox was silent for a moment. "Let's go get her, then," he said resolutely. "Scar's car is big enough. Jerhyn, can you keep track of her?"

The cat shook his head. "Not unless you plant a tracer on her. All I can do is track where she called from, which isn't going to help us since she moved already."

Fox nodded. "Alright. We've gotta find where she's headed. Gage, would it be possible for you to get a list of all the," he paused, thinking, "major public appearances by any politicians today? Especially any that are tagged, or being watched, for suspicious behavior?"

Dagger's captain inclined his head. "Shouldn't be difficult. I'll give Ley a ring, and she'll grab it on her way over. I think we might need her later."

"For Anaiya?"

Gage shrugged. "Maybe. But sometimes there's more than one bounty hunter going after each target, like she said. We might get one that's not as agreeable as her, hard as that might be."

Scar snorted. "I think you guys are still underestimating her," he said.

"With your fatherly affections," Gage fired back," could you be _over_estimating her?"

The wolverine didn't even think about it. "No," he said firmly. "If anything, I'm doing the same thing you guys are. I doubt she's showed me everything she can do."

Gage's eyebrows were bunched skeptically, but he didn't retaliate.

"That's not important right now," Fox said firmly. "We can talk about all that _after_ we find her."

Scar was staring speculatively at him, and Jerhyn grinned, adjusting his glasses.

Fox stared back.

They kept looking.

Finally, he demanded "what?"

"Nothing," Scar said, walking away, "just good to see you finally doing something."

Jerhyn followed behind him, nodding in agreement.

"What's that supposed to mean," Fox muttered crossly, glaring after them.

Gage said nothing, merely walking towards the door. After a moment, Fox followed.

"So what's the deal with you and her," Dagger's captain asked, opening the car door. "You don't seem to exactly be the model happy couple."

Fox sighed wearily. "Well, I guess it's complicated. She's different. _Way_ different. But I still care about her. I think she still considers me a friend, maybe, but she's moved on. I can tell."

"How can you tell?"

Fox shrugged. "I dunno. I just know."

"Oh. One of _those _things."

Fox looked at his friend with a small smile. "Why you asking? Interested?"

Gage threw him one of those 'I expected a dumb comment like that' look. "Just curious. Now, let's get going."

* * *

Anaiya looked at the image in her HUD, a small, wistful smile on her face.

She closed her eyes.

Thinking.

Just thinking peacefully, and remembering.

The vixen pressed two fingers to her lips.

_I miss you._

…

And that was all the time she could spare.

Anaiya closed the image and stood briskly, her eyes opening and returning to the hard, cold gaze.

Her smile was gone.

Time for work.

Like figuring out what exactly had happened earlier.

_"You really don't care, do you? About yourself, or anyone else. What about me, and Katt, and everyone else who cares about you?"_

_"The list is abysmally short," she'd told him dismissively._

_And then-_

_Flash._

_-_"So what?! We _care_, and you don't give a shit about us!"-

_Flash._

_She opened her mouth to respond-_

_"So what?! We care, and you don't give a shit about us!"_

_And _then_ he said it. He hadn't said anything right before that._

She'd heard him before he actually said it.

This was certainly a new development. But she didn't have time to wonder how the hell stuff like that was even possible; she had to find a nice spot and wait for Vasquez.

After she grabbed her stuff, of course.

The vixen slid off the edge of the fire escape and landed lightly on the ground. With a brisk roll of her shoulders, Anaiya trotted off, keeping to the alleys and less-traveled areas.

Her skin-tight suit attracted a bit of attention, after all.

For some reason, she felt good; good like she hadn't felt in a long time. There was a fresh spring in her step, and Raaze's unspoken threat no longer hung over her. She had no obligations to anyone.

She paused, frowning.

She felt a bit like her old self.

And she didn't like that.

She had made steps away from the person she had once been, albeit slowly.

Anaiya wondered what Fox and Gage would have said if they had seen her even a year or so ago.

Her HUD pinged with another call. With an exasperated sigh, she answered.

"_What_," the vixen snapped, her voice low and dangerous.

"Whoa, hey, what's that for? Can't I call my love whenever I want?"

"Oh, it's _you_," Anaiya muttered, only slightly mollified.

"You don't sound happy to hear from me." Rogosh didn't sound all that happy either. Perhaps a bit disappointed. "Maybe we should get together some time? Catch up on things?"

"No."

The flat answer did nothing to deter him. "Oh, come on now, you know you miss me, love."

Anaiya resisted the urge to bang her head off the wall. "What do you want, Rogosh?"

The wolf's voice lost it's playful edge. "Stay away from Vasquez, love. I'd bet a good deal of money you were contracted for the hit, but I still need him, even if he's connected with that damn cat."

Anaiya frowned. "The Venomian cat we all hate except for you? I thought you were all buddy-buddy with him."

"Yeah, well, Raaze and I had a bit of a falling out after he tried to screw me over. I severed the Black Vipers' ties with him." The wolf sounded at the same time relieved and irritated. That had probably cost him quite a bit of cash, and saved him from constantly worrying about being stabbed in the back.

"Well, that's unfortunate," Anaiya said cheerfully, "but I still need Vasquez dead."

"Why?"

"It's in the contract."

"_Oh_." Rogosh sighed. "You're on _that_ again. Shit."

"Yes, shit," Anaiya agreed. "He's going down."

"If you must. But I'm not calling Shroud off. I need him to actually earn his keep around here."

Anaiya blinked. "Shroud? That nutty drama queen weapon engineer from a few years back?"

"He's not a drama queen," Rogosh protested, "he's just...enthusiastic."

"Uh huh. Sure he is."

"I'm going to hide Vasquez. Got plenty of safe houses around here."

"I'll still find him, eventually. Don't waste both of our time by doing that."

Rogosh huffed and changed the topic. "So, now that that's out of the way, we should hook up later."

Anaiya slapped her forehead, drawing an odd look from the lone minx occupying the alley with her. "Maybe some other t-"

She paused.

If Rogosh was going to hide Vasquez, and if he came to see her right after that, he might have the location of the safe house somewhere on him, in a datapad or something. And, due to the short notice, the safe house was almost guaranteed to still be on Corneria.

"On second thought," she said, inventing a new plan, "let's do that now, instead of later."

There was a suspicious silence over the line.

"Why the change of heart?"

"I had an epiphany," Anaiya said resolutely. "I'm going to be busy later."

And she would be; busy taking out Vasquez...

Ha ha.

Anyway.

That minx was still there, examining something in his hand. Something was up. She almost wondered how he'd found her, but all he'd of had to do was watch for anyone silver. Not terribly difficult, especially if there was more than one person looking.

Rogosh was quiet again.

"_You_," he said pointedly, "are planning something."

"Yes," Anaiya agreed unabashedly, "but all _you_ have to do is reconcile yourself to the fact that you're going to lose Vasquez."

Rogosh made a noise of displeasure. "Seems inevitable, doesn't it? Well, I'll make arrangements, but let's not count Shroud out just yet. He has a bunch of those crazy weapons he makes with the even crazier names; don't underestimate him."

Anaiya shrugged. "You let me worry about that. I'm sending you a set of coordinates. Meet me there."

"Coordinates? Oh, come on, drop the formality. Can't you just tell me the street name or something?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because," Anaiya said slowly, "there's someone here with me that isn't minding his own business."

She looked up, and her eyes met the minx's unsurprised gaze. "I'll see you in a bit, Rogosh, and _don't touch anything_ until I get there," she said, then disconnected the line. "So," the vixen continued, "what can I help _you_ with?"

The minx rolled his head with a loud pop, not visibly upset that she'd found him out. "I wonder," he mused, "if you even realize the consequences of your actions."

Anaiya's eyes narrowed. "I'm not going to play your game," she said flatly. "Speak your piece or get lost."

The minx nodded. "Alright. Let me lay it out for you. The syndicate you took out before? With Radik?" He snorted. "Radik was not the one in charge. He was the one in charge of one branch, true, but not the whole thing. And, by getting rid of him, you've drawn quite a bit of attention."

Christ. It never ends. What a horrible plot this would be if it were a movie. More villains, and more, and _more..._

"So," the minx continued, "there are two options from here. One: you and my organization continue to duel each other until either they get you or you wipe out our entire guild. No easy feat, I can assure you. Option two is a bit less bloody. Interested?"

"I'm an agreeable person. Keep talking," Anaiya said, running a finger lightly over her sheathed wrist blade.

"Glad to hear it. Option two: You take over Radik's branch of our little enterprise."

Anaiya's eyebrows shot upward.

Well, she could say with complete honesty that that wasn't what she was expecting to hear.

The minx raised a hand calmly. "I know, just hear me out. You just do what my boss asks, and you'll make quite a bit of extra money without any fighting with us. You won't even have to get your hands dirty often; just order someone else to do anything you need. Judging from what I'm told, you have the mindset required to make the decisions we need."

Anaiya chuckled.

The minx stared at her. "Did you find something I said funny," he asked, his voice slightly frosty.

The vixen waved a hand at him, still smirking. "Oh, don't mind me," she said airily, "I'm easily amused. I will, uh, get back to you on that offer."

The minx observed her carefully for a moment, then he nodded and handed her a small card with a number on it. "Don't take too long deliberating," he murmured. "It might be taken the wrong way."

"I'll keep that in mind," Anaiya replied coolly. "Now, I've got some things to attend to, so if you could scurry off now..."

The minx obviously didn't like being ordered around, judging by the way he stiffened and flexed his fingers, but he walked off without protest or farewell.

As soon as he had left the alley, Anaiya let out a long groan, rubbing her temples.

Like she didn't have enough problems. Despite her earlier grumbles, meeting with Rogosh might be a welcome reprieve right about now. She wasn't worried about the wolf betraying her; crook though he was, Rogosh still cared about her too much to kill her. The earlier incident in space that resulted in their dogfight didn't count; she'd agreed to meet him, and he would honor that.

With another annoyed sigh, the vixen resumed her walk, this time with a clear destination in mind.

She made sure to drop the card and stomp on it.

* * *

Rogosh was waiting outside her safe house/apartment door, a slightly impatient expression on his face that evaporated the second Anaiya turned the corner.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to come," he said, smiling.

Anaiya scoffed. "I said I would," she replied crossly.

"So? Wouldn't be the first time you lied to me."

The vixen paused, then nodded. "I guess not."

As she moved up and entered her key combination into the keypad, Rogosh moved up alongside her and slipped an arm around her waist.

"It's good to see you again," he whispered in her ear.

The vixen shrugged him off and inched the door open, removing the string trigger for the hanging shotgun from the door handle.

"Wait here," she told him, then entered the room.

With practiced ease, the vixen disabled her various traps and set up a little something before returning to the door and motioning Rogosh in. The wolf needed no more urging, trotting obediently behind her as she sat down on the bed with a sigh, rolling her shoulders.

Rogosh looked at her, then sighed. "You're not in the mood to fool around, are you," he asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"Nope. Help me get out of this." Anaiya started to shrug out of her bodysuit.

"I thought you said-"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," she said irritably, "I need to change my bandages."

"What happened," The Viper's captain asked, helping her pull the suit down to her waist and whistling at the large wrapping around her middle.

"Raaze's scaly pet gored me," Anaiya replied, wincing as blood dripped onto the floor. She tore the dirty bandages loose, discarding them into a trash bin. "Go into that closet there and grab the second box from the left on the third shelf. Grip the top half first, then release and carry it by the bottom."

Rogosh complied without question, and Anaiya allowed herself a small smile.

It might seem awfully strange to be having someone who'd tried to kill her help with bandaging herself, but Rogosh was a special case, for a number of reasons.

And he was easily exploited.

"I ripped the sealing on it jumping out of the hospital window," she explained, "so I've got to let this heal the old-fashioned way."

Rogosh paused a moment and stared at her. "...Oh." The wolf shook his head, then began to wrap the bandages around her middle. "So what were you doing that made you run into the Venomians?"

Anaiya waggled a finger at him. "Can't tell. Top secret military operations and whatnot."

The Viper's captain snorted. "You, love? Military? I doubt it."

"Well, that makes," she paused, "three of us."

"Well, anyway," Rogosh said, finishing his bandaging and leaning back into the headboard, "can we just spend some quality time together now?"

With a small sigh, Anaiya allowed him to draw her against his chest, his hands stroking her fur.

He did not notice as her hand dipped lightly into his pocket and withdrew his datapad, slipping it beneath the mattress to connect to a small device that immediately began copying all the information on it.

Mission accomplished.

"I don't have much time at all, let alone the quality version," she told him.

Rogosh let out a long, disappointed sigh. "You've changed so much," he said regretfully. "What happened to the cheerful girl I hooked up with?"

"Dead," Anaiya said flatly, "long dead."

She felt the wolf frown, his face touching her ear.

Then his hand touched one of her scars, and he stiffened.

He traced the fleshy line slowly, then the rest of her marks from Shran's scourge.

To her surprise, he was trembling.

Why would that be?

"Who did this," he whispered harshly, his voice rasping in fury. "Tell me."

_Oh._ He was _angry._

"Shran," she said, tensing unconsciously under his touches. "Raaze shot me and shoved an artificial heart into me, with a remote shut-off switch. I only got it removed yesterday. Shran was just having fun."

"I'll kill them," Rogosh snarled, his hands still gentle despite his harsh tone, "I'll _kill_ them."

"I didn't know you still cared," Anaiya said, her voice carefully neutral.

"Well I _do_," the wolf said tersely. "Let me make some calls. The Venomians are going to be having a run of bad luck soon, I imagine..."

A small light blinked in the corner of the vixen's HUD, signaling the download's end, but she ignored it and twisted around to stare hard at Rogosh. "_Why_," she demanded, masking her confusion with an iron-hard voice.

"_Why,_" Rogosh echoed, confused. "Well, because I still love you, I guess."

He said it so casually, like it should have been obvious.

Anaiya didn't understand.

"You'd risk alienating one of the most powerful factions in the galaxy," she asked, just to clarify, "because they hurt me?"

"They did more than just hurt you, love. And yes, I would. Without a second thought. You never formally left the Vipers, you know. So, technically, you're still one of mine. And I look after my own." He looked at her strangely. "Don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about. I'd do anything for the people I care about.  
And _then_, she understood.

She had one person she would fight for, kill for, would give her life protecting.

And, that special person was not Fox McCloud. A friend he was, a good friend, but she could not die for him.

Not yet, anyway. She had responsibilities to fulfill.

And Rogosh cared about _her_? _Her_, the one who abandoned him, fled in the middle of the night, was the one he would do anything for?

Her earlier statement was correct.

Rogosh Blacktail was an easily exploitable fool with chivalrous delusions.

"I have to go," she said suddenly, standing up. The vixen tossed Rogosh's datapad back over to him.

"What- when did you get this?"

"I was going to steal it," Anaiya lied easily, sliding her bodysuit back into place, "but I decided not to. I'll see you around."

"Wait, Anaiya-"

But the vixen was already out the door and down the hall, her fur rippling as she walked quickly along. "Be sure to close the door behind you," she called back.

She had to finish this quickly.

Find Vasquez, and end it.

She could do it. And she would.

* * *

Shroud watched Ramiro Vasquez quietly as the weasel paced impatiently around the room.

_This is a bad idea,_ Anxiety whimpered.

"I didn't ask you," Shroud told it flatly, spinning his pentashot absently.

_Like that has _ever _stopped us before, _Sarcasm sneered.

"I didn't ask _you_ either," Shroud told it.

Vasquez threw the ocelot a loathing stare. "Can't I have a bodyguard that _isn't_ insane," he growled, straightening his coat.

_Prick, _Sarcasm said.

"Prick," Shroud agreed. "I'm saving your ass. Be a bit more grateful, huh?"

"As far as I can see," Vasquez spat, "all you've done is sit on your ass and talk to yourself."

_He's right,_ Anxiety groaned.

_Pussy, _Sarcasm fired.

Shroud shrugged. "Nothing's happened yet," he said easily. "Relax, bro."

The weasel shot him a withering look and spun away, checking his datapad again.

_Nothing has changed since you looked at it twenty seconds ago_, Sarcasm sneered.

Shroud nodded, smirking.

"Time to go," Vasquez said brusquely, stowing his datapad. The weasel pulled out a small memory disc and stared at it for a moment before pocketing the device. "Come on, lout. My audience awaits." The three run-of-the-mill Cornerian Army cookie-cutter soldier-bodyguard-people...things jumped to attention and followed immediately.

_As his highness commands,_ Sarcasm growled.

_I have a _really_ bad feeling about this,_ Anxiety moaned.

"Shut up, both of you," Shroud said, standing. "Alrighty, Rammy, let's get a move on. I'm still planning my routine for this show, though, but I'm sure I can come up with something!"

Ramiro's scathing glance did nothing to deter the ocelot. "All I want you to do," Vasquez said tightly, "is stand off to the side _quietly_ and make sure no one comes up there. I don't even want you on stage. _Now, let's go._"

"Fine, fine," Shroud said, waving his hands in a placating gesture, "I won't ruin your moment if you don't ruin mine when it comes along. Deal? 'Cause, if it's not a deal, then I'd have to mess up your moment by, like, mooning everyone or something equally annoying so that if you mess up mine, it all evens-"

"What_ever_," Vasquez snarled, "just get _out _of my sight!"

"Okey dokey," Shroud said brightly, trotting out the door.

_You are such a moron,_ Sarcasm informed him flatly.

As Shroud entered the hall, a tall, white tiger brushed carelessly past him, entering Vasquez's room.

Which was supposed to be off-limits.

The interloper was wearing black and red armor, with an actual _metal _sword strapped across his back, hilt down. Really? Metal? In this day and age? Come on. Shroud made some pretty good energy swords. This guy should really look into them.

_Oh my god,_ Anxiety shrieked, _I knew this was bad news!_

Curious, the ocelot poked his head back in.

The tiger was standing, seeming at ease, in front of Vasquez. The soldiers had their weapons partially raised, totally confused.

_Heh,_ Sarcasm sniggered. _Idiots._

"I believe you have something for me," the tiger said coolly, not even glancing at the rifles almost aimed at him.

Vasquez seemed a bit uneasy, but nodded, trying to cover it up. "Yes, yes. Here." He dug around in his pocket for a moment, then drew out the small memory disc he'd been playing with earlier. With only a slight hesitation in his movements, the weasel handed the device over. "You are Isren, right?"

The tiger glanced at him, amusement on his face. "Shouldn't you have clarified that before you gave this to me," he asked wryly, not answering the question. "Now..."

His hand settled on the grip of his sword.

Shroud jumped forward with a loud crash, landing between Vasquez and the tiger and striking a heroic pose. "Hold, villain! You shall not pass!"

Everyone stared at him. Isren's eyebrows were scrunched together, as if he were trying to decide if Shroud was for real or not.

Sarcasm did the mental equivalent of a face palm, and Anxiety whimpered something indecipherable.

With a small shake of his head and not another word, the white tiger strolled past Shroud, brushing his shoulder lightly. He walked off down the hall and vanished into an elevator.

"What the _hell_ are you doing," Vasquez demanded crossly.

Shroud's face crumpled, and he stared at the weasel. "Saving you," he said huffily, "what did it look like?"

Ramiro's face actually purpled with rage, and he stormed out of the room without another word, the trio of soldiers following while shooting odd glances back at the ocelot.

"I'm so unappreciated," Shroud said unhappily to the room at large.

_What's there to appreciate,_ Sarcasm asked snidely.

_I need love,_ Anxiety sobbed.

Shroud heaved a heavy sigh, then followed Vasquez.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Anaiya was ready.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as a live video feed, showing the podium where Vasquez would soon be, play in her HUD. The vixen glanced up out of the window and observed the same spot with her uncovered left eye.

She had her escape route all planned out. Everything was in place. This building was a good spot; occupied, of course, as abandoned buildings in the center of the city were rather hard to come by. But the very fact that there were other people in the building would protect her, for a little while. It would give her enough time to make good an escape.

Anaiya racked Vengeance's charging lever and the rifle's battery indication flickered green. It would be over in an instant; she had boosted the beam concentration to maximum. It dramatically increased the heat output, so she'd only have one shot before even Vengeance's barrel began to overheat. The sound of the discharge was also boosted, but that didn't matter either.

All she needed was one shot.

She settled the rifle on the open windowsill, checking her sight line through the scope.

And waited.

* * *

Isren was ready.

He watched idly as the throng of people milling around slowly grew, all of them waiting for the weasel to appear and give his speech.

Isren was waiting for him as well, albeit for slightly different reasons. He'd arrived long before Vasquez, even though they had left he same place. Isren didn't concern himself with things such as speeding regulations, or political check-ins, what have you. The tiger ran a finger through the blue patch of fur over his ear, drumming his fingers lightly over the remote in his other hand. Isren settled back comfortably in his seat.

And waited.

* * *

"Here it is," Ley announced, handing a small tablet over to Gage. "Every public appearance today and tomorrow by any politician. Hope it helps."

"Thanks a lot, Ley," Gage told her, the corners of his lips turning upward slightly in a smile. "I think this'll be enough." He dropped the list on the table he, Ley, Fox, Scar, and Jerhyn were gathered around. "Now. Let's cut this down to one or two names. We'll start with the later ones and get rid of them first."

With nods all around, they set to work.

They had to narrow their search as they went, restricting it to only the higher offenders. It was a bit disheartening to Fox to see exactly how many of the people who made very important decisions for the Cornerian people didn't have their best interests at heart. Nevertheless, he trudged on, a frown marring his features.

Within five minutes, they had each narrowed their list to a few names, and pooled them together. In total, there were fourteen names. Barid Medar, Mierin Eronaile, Tel Janin Aellinsar, Joar Nesossin, Ramiro Vasquez, Eval Ramman, Ishar Chuain, Duram Cham, Kamarile Nindar, Elan Tedronai, Ared Mosinel, Nemene Boann, Lillen Moiral, and Saine Tarasind. These were the ones who would show up either today or tomorrow and had suspected criminal ties. Now all they had to do was find the right one.

Or, rather, the wrong one.

"Alright," Fox said, "let's start off with the ones that are going today. They're our most likely targets."

Medar, Tarasind, Boann, Cham, Chuain, and Aellinsar winked off the list.

"Now let's check what they've done."

Mierin was clean, so she was ticked off as well.

Joar was suspected of taking bribes, but that wasn't all that serious.

Vasquez had suspected ties to a criminal group, as well as one previous allegation, proven false, of treason. He was high up there.

Eval had probably only gotten his job because of being related to one of the military generals, and didn't exactly deserve the post, but he hadn't done anything wrong besides that. Crossed off.

Kamarile, Elan and Ared were clean as well, so they vanished off the Malcontent list.

Lillen's actions were rather circumspect. She was never involved in anything directly, but nearly all of the people she was thought to employ went along with some illegal activity or another, pulled along like puppets in her web. The authorities were just waiting for her to slip up and nail her, but so far, no luck. She was up there too.

"So, two names. Ramiro and Lillen." Fox scratched his cheek absently. "How do we decide from here?"

"Well, unfortunately," Gage said, "Anaiya wasn't careless enough to specify the gender when she was talking to us, or in the note, so we don't have that to go on."

"That would've been careless," Scar noted.

Gage shot him a look. "Nobody's perfect. Everyone messes up eventually."

"Even you," the wolverine fired back. "don't get cocky."

Dagger's captain rolled his eyes and left it at that. "What times are their appearances," he asked instead.

Fox consulted the list. "Lillen should be popping up later today, around 18:00. Ramiro..." He looked closer. "...is going to show up in about five minutes, at a protest rally." He raised his head to look around at the others.

"Right," Gage said. "We don't have time to decide which of them it is right now, so let's go to this and, if he doesn't get ambushed, then it's Lillen."

"Should we call and warn them?"

Gage hesitated. "We don't know it Vasquez for sure. And, if he _is_ a traitor...She's doing us a favor."

"But what if he _isn't_?"

"Then we'll get there and stop her," Gage replied resolutely. "And if he isn't, then she won't be there at all."

Fox nodded slowly. "...Alright." He glanced at Scar. "Can we use your car again?"

The wolverine sniffed. "You think I'm not coming?" He left the room, calling back to them. "If you don't hurry, I'll leave you behind!"

* * *

Shroud rolled the black cylinder along his knuckles, frowning as he dropped it again. With a small sigh, he replaced the weapon on his belt and stared out the window, chin on his hand. Across the vehicle from him, Vasquez was rehearsing his speech, and it was pretty annoying.

_Shoot him_, Sarcasm suggested.

"That wouldn't be a good idea," the ocelot murmured.

Vasquez stopped, irritated, and glared at him. "You're interrupting me," he hissed. "Can't you find something to do besides talk to yourself?"

"Not much to do in here, buddy," Shroud answered, not even glancing at the weasel. "Hopefully someone will take a potshot at you soon, and _then_ I'll have something to do."

Ramiro turned an interesting shade of green and turned away, checking the time again and muttering "11:55."

_I sure hope no one does attack,_ Anxiety said.

_Shut up, pussy,_ Sarcasm commanded.

"Kiddies," Shroud muttered, "daddy says to stop name calling."

"And _I _said to stop interrupting me!"

* * *

Anaiya watched through her scope, still waiting for Vasquez to show up. Her thoughts wandered.

_Gage and Fox, will you make it in time? Doesn't seem like it._

_No matter. Your loss._

She checked the rest of her gear for the fourth time since she'd gotten here. Unsurprisingly, the pistols were both still loaded, her knives still clean, her grenades still in place, and her gadgets still working fine.

But it didn't hurt to make sure.

The vixen checked the time; 11:56.

With a small shrug, she tilted her head back into line with the scope.

* * *

Isren watched unconcernedly as the angry crowd swelled, shouting and parading around with their little signs.

It wouldn't be long now.

He checked the time; 11:57.

It would work perfectly.

The tiger took a small sip from his drink.

* * *

Fox checked the time as their vehicle sped along the road, _slightly_ faster than they should have been going.

11:58.

It was going to be close.

* * *

Ishanah's fur rippled as the chair reclined slightly. A small pile of weaponry lay on a nearby table.

The viewscreen across the room was showing a large group of people waving signs and shouting angrily. The view panned to observe an empty podium.

The wolf smiled and checked the time.

11:59.

Almost show time.

* * *

Scar's vehicle pulled to a stop, skidding slightly, a street away from the large gathering of people. Gage, Ley, Fox, Scar, and Jerhyn hopped out, already moving into the crowd.

"So," Jerhyn asked, hurrying to keep up with the group, "what's the plan?"

Gage surveyed the podium where Vasquez would soon be arriving. "It's got to be a ranged attack," he decided. "Vasquez is too well protected for a close up strike. He'll have a squad of bodyguards with him, most likely." He paused for a moment. "If it were me, I'd either use a rifle from as far away as I could manage, or remote-detonated explosives. But this place has been watched since it was set up for this; it'd be hard to slip in a bomb to the right spot without being noticed."

"She's sniping," Scar asserted confidently. "That Vengeance is a beast of a gun."

Gage nodded absently, he and Ley observing the surrounding area. "These two" he indicated the two buildings on either side of the street, right beside the podium "are too close to be good spots, even once you get past the problem of getting into them with a rifle. Not very hard to spot the muzzle flash on projectile models, or the beam on lasers. The ones next to them are better, but still not ideal. If I had to pick one, I'd use _that_ one." He pointed far down the street, right where the road curved, at the last building in line of sight from the podium. "It'd be a hard shot. You'd need a very good rifle, accurate enough to make the shot and powerful enough to punch through the shielding they'll no doubt have surrounding Vasquez, and a very skilled marksmen as well. But it's possible." Dagger's captain gestured at Ley, who nodded and trotted off. "Ley and I will circle around and watch the exits there." He smiled slightly. "Wish us luck."

"Good luck," Scar called after them, smirking. His gaze shifted slightly, and his grin disappeared. "Guess who just showed up."

Fox didn't need to guess. He turned his head slightly towards the podium as the volume of the crowd swelled.

A sharply dressed weasel wearing an unpleasantly cheerful smile was mounting the steps of the podium.

Vasquez had arrived, right on time, and they hadn't found Anaiya yet.

* * *

Anaiya sighted Vasquez, his head in the center of her reticule. She would not wait for the speech, or anything else. Once he stopped moving, her finger would twitch, and his life would end.

* * *

Isren watched with a detached interest as the noise around him increased and Vasquez approached his stand. The remote was still held easily in the tiger's palm. His finger brushed lightly over the detonations switch.

* * *

Ramiro was very pleased with himself. His speech was perfect; it would allay the people's fears, and put him back into their good graces, where he belonged. Then he could go back to his normal routine of making money and living large. No more of these deals with the Remnant, no matter how much money they dragged in. It wasn't worth the stress.

...Well, maybe if the price was right...

The weasel stepped up to the podium, waving to the crowd.

He really was a genius. And a rich one, at that.

He was so absorbed in himself, he didn't even notice when he died.

* * *

Gage had just reached the building when he heard the muted crack of a high-powered rifle somewhere above him, followed a nanosecond later by a tremendous explosion. The roars of the crowd turned to screams of fear, as everyone tried to shove everyone else out of the way and escape. Dagger's captain glanced back.

The podium was a smoking ruin of shattered metals, the weasel occupying it moments before nowhere to be seen. The bodyguards were in disarray, gripped with the same fear as the mob.

The green clad one who'd caught Gage's eye earlier had vanished.

The vulpine turned his eyes to Ley. "Cover the front," he instructed. "You know who you're looking for."

The leopardess dipped her head in ascent as Gage jogged off around the side of the building.

Moments later, there was another blast as the rifle fired again. Why, Gage had no idea. He unconsciously loosened his pistol in it's holster as he hunkered down to wait.

* * *

Anaiya slung Vengeance over her shoulder, her face a mask of fury. There was no way to confirm if it had been her shot that took Vasquez out or the explosives. She'd spotted the assassin after the fact; the white tiger watching coolly as everyone else scurried around in terror. She'd seen the way he dropped the remote and crushed it underfoot before moving off.

He was one lucky bastard, too. She had centered her scope on his head, and then, just as she fired, he'd stopped moving and turned his head for some inexplicable reason. Her laser had torn a chunk out of his ear, if not the whole thing right off, and the tiger had clutched the wound for a moment, his face pained-

-and then vanished into the crowd a moment later.

That was it; no staunching his wound or looking around for his shooter. He got out of the line of fire instantly, ignoring the undoubtedly horrible pain of his injury. A professional.

She had to hunt him down.

She had searched the crowd for a flash of white, and found far too many, and none of them the correct target.

Then she found him, at the edge of the swarm of people, just a brief glimpse before he ducked into a doorway. The vixen's eyes narrowed as she recognized the building.

The tram station.

Without wasting a second, she ripped the door open and flew down the hall, eschewing the elevator in favor of vaulting down the stairwell.

Who said stairs took longer?

She only saw one employee on her way down. His eyes didn't even have time to widen before she fell past him out of sight.

Soon enough, she reached the bottom of the complex and dashed out the back door and leaping down the steps.

"Hi there."

Oh, come on.

Gage stood at the bottom of the stairway, a self-satisfied smirk covering his muzzle and his arms crossed.

Anaiya didn't deign to respond. She simply pushed off from the middle of the stairs and launched herself in a dive over her self-designated nemesis.

Gage caught her foot.

With a snarl of annoyance, Anaiya arrested her jump and landed in a handstand, her other foot lashing down towards Gage's head. The vulpine dodged out of the way, releasing his hold on her ankle.

Funny how his dodge put him square in the path she had to go.

Stupid asshole.

"I really don't have time to play games," she told him, annoyance clear in her voice.

Gage shrugged. "Sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at all. "Besides, I have to figure out if you got him or that other guy did."

Anaiya's eyes narrowed. "I did," she said flatly.

Dagger's captain shrugged again. "Maybe," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe not. Maybe the explosion got Vasquez before your shot did."

Anaiya's already narrow eyes turned to slits. He was one of those with a natural talent for pissing people off. Like she did.

She chose to ignore him. "Either move, or I'm going to go through you," the vixen informed him. "I have a train to catch."

Gage was unmoved. "About time we had a rematch," he said simply.

Anaiya snorted. "It won't be a rematch. It'll be me, getting past you before you know it."

The fox raised a hand and motioned her forward.

Fine then. This would be quick.

She had an idea.

Anaiya leaped forward, her stiffened hand whistling towards his neck. As expected, Gage had no trouble deflecting the blow. Continuing, the vixen brought her foot up and around in a kick, and Gage obliging caught the limb, jerking it to try and throw her off-balance. She hopped on one leg, closing the little distance between them.

His fist came up and breezed centimeters from her cheek, and Anaiya cheated.

She suddenly stopped struggling, and leaned in towards the taller fox, her eyes half closed and her face turned upward towards his.

Gage blinked.

And Anaiya snapped her head forward, her forehead connecting with his nose.

The shock of the abrupt return to reality and the hard blow staggered Gage for a moment. Only a moment, but it was enough. Anaiya ripped herself from his grip and turned a somersault past Dagger's captain and sprinted off, cackling in triumph.

"My goddamn nose _again_," floated to her ears, making her grin savagely.

* * *

Gage watched as Anaiya vanished around the corner, wiping another line of blood from his nose. He flexed the hand he'd caught her foot with. She kicked hard.

He opened his empty hand, which had, before the little spat, contained a tiny homing beacon.

He smirked.

* * *

Isren glanced around the tram station warily, ignoring the startled stares at the bloody, shattered fragments of his ear. The pain was quite intense, and his grimace reflected the fact.

Someone was following him. Moments after he'd killed Vasquez, someone had blown a hole in his ear, and would have taken his entire head if he hadn't had a vague sense of danger and paused in his steps.

Very lucky, but now someone was tracking him.

However.

All it took was one reversal, and the hunter became the hunted.

Isren was no one's prey.

There was a commotion behind him, and the tiger spun to see a female dressed in a black combat suit approaching him at a sprint, her eyes hard and locked onto him.

That was two of them, then, that didn't care about civilian causalities, otherwise she'd never have engaged him in such an open place.

Isren stepped backwards, onto the tram. He drew his tiny, concealed pistol and fired a blast at her, heedless of the civilians surrounding them.

The vixen pushed off the ground and leaped aside with astounding speed, dodging the round easily.

Isren's laser struck a raccoon behind her, and he crumpled without a sound.

Unfortunate.

There was a flicker of green in his peripheral vision, but he ignored it as the tram started moving. Isren watched intently as the vixen continued to run, but steadily lost ground as the tram picked up speed.

He smiled in triumph.

The smile vanished a moment later as she gathered herself and _jumped_ at the moving tram, grabbing hold of the roof's lip. With a quick heave, the vixen threw herself up onto the roof.

Isren scowled. Now he had to go up and deal with her.

The tiger glanced around for a moment, again ignoring the terrified passengers. He quickly spotted a hatch towards the other end of the tram car, probably in case the vehicle flipped over, or something. Isren stalked over to it and ripped it open, pulling himself up through the hole and onto the roof.

* * *

Anaiya watched as the white tiger emerged from the interior of the tram, his eyes flashing in anger. The wind whipped through her fur as the tram sped along the tracks, but neither of them paid any heed to it. They had eyes only for each other.

The tiger stalked forward, weaving slowly back and forth along the ridged roof and easily maintaining his footing as the blistering wind ripped past.

The vixen's hands hovered over her holstered pistols.

Isren's hand, carefully tilted to conceal the compact pistol behind it, twitched.

There was a sudden crackling hiss that made both of them jump back a step, weapons coming up. They both paused a moment later when they realized the other was just as surprised.

A beam of red energy lanced up between them, carving through the roof of the tram in a quick circle. The sheared metal dropped down out of sight, and then a figure in a green shirt vaulted up and out of the hole, landing with a loud crash before slamming a hand to his hip and pointing his other arm up high in the most ridiculously melodramatic pose Anaiya had ever seen. He held a red energy blade in his upraised hand.

"Hold, foul knaves," the ocelot proclaimed, "it is I, here to avenge my fallen comrade!"

Anaiya's eye twitched slightly.

This _had_ to be a joke.

She heard the tiger heave a long suffering sigh.

Then there was a flicker of movement as the tiger's blade left the sheath on his back, slashing upward towards the ocelot in a blur of motion. The newcomer countered with a superfluous parry as he stepped back, flourishing his blade.

"No words of challenge or insult, then," Shroud said cheerfully. "So be it. Have at you!"

He ducked a moment later as Anaiya flicked a knife at his back.

He was quite annoying.

"Avast," the ocelot exclaimed, darting around, "the witch joins the conflict! A three way struggle, then!"

"You are _so_ annoying," Anaiya told him.

The tiger dipped his head in agreement.

"Annoying I may be," Shroud said, his voice dropping to a serious level, "but I know who you are, and I know your _secret_, chick!"

Anaiya cocked an eyebrow, stealthily drawing another knife.

"I know about _Taim!"_

And Anaiya froze.

_No._

No, no _no!_

Then she exploded forward, a pair of knives leaving her hands in a whirling blur as she dashed towards Shroud, rage and fear lending her speed.

Shroud slid sideways, dodging her flying blades, and the tiger behind him batted the weapons away with his sword before charging. Shroud set himself, his energy blade flicking back and forth as Anaiya and the tiger closed the distance between them.

They clashed, blades darting back and forth, each seeking an opening on their two opponents. After a quick prod with a knife, Anaiya skipped a few feet away from Shroud and the tiger, watching them carefully.

Shroud's energy blade made a beeline for the tiger's head, but the mercenary's black blade whipped up and, in a shower of sparks, batted the crimson sword away. It must have been coated in some sort of refractive layer.

The tiger retaliated with a vicious overhand slash that would probably have taken Shroud's arm off had the ocelot not moved, then his other hand snapped up, and the concealed palm pistol he held fired.

At Anaiya.

Bastard.

The vixen ducked as the crimson laser whizzed past her.

The time for observing was probably over.

Anaiya darted forward, her knives weaving back and forth. The tiger saw her coming and threw a feint at Shroud before planting a foot in the ocelot's chest and kicking him away, flourishing his blade in preparation.

And then Anaiya was on him, stabbing and slashing viciously. His defense was masterful; he used the long hilt of his sword to parry as often as the blade, fending off both her knives. He had a tremendous reach advantage over her small blades, but her skill was covering the difference.

The vixen snapped a quick kick up at his chest, which he shoved sideways to destabilize her. Anaiya went with it, leaping with her momentum into a spin kick, which he dodged by stepping back. He stabbed at her, which she dodged by continuing her spin into _another_ kick. He jumped back again, but he was obviously a quick learner, as his blade flashed up at her passing leg and sliced a thin line across her shin. The vixen landed from her spin kick and continued low, ducking under his stab. He slashed down with her, opening a gash along the side of her face mere centimeters from her eye. They separated for a moment, breathing slowly.

Then they both jumped clear as Shroud fired his shotgun at them. The tiger replied with a trio of shots from his pistol, and Anaiya hurled a knife. The ocelot squawked and dove clear, and the vixen and her opponent closed again.

Anaiya stabbed low at his gut, at the same time flicking her other knife up at his face. The tiger merely held his weapon vertically and brought it across his body, deflecting both attacks simultaneously. His black sword whipped around and came down in an overhand chop, and Anaiya barely had time to draw a second knife and cross them in an X, catching the tiger's blow between her blades.

Now, Anaiya was no slouch when it came to exercising, but she was not exactly a hulking, muscle-bound automaton. This guy wasn't either, but he was stronger than her, and his blade, slowly but surely, began to inch towards her face in spite of her straining against it.

While she was all for exercises in futility, this wasn't the time. With a quick twist, she spun their locked weapons left and down, turning a side flip and smashing the tiger in the face with her booted feet. He reeled, and the black sword left his hand, clattering to the ground and sliding off the tram roof.

The tiger, recovered, shot her a disgusted look. Without a moment's hesitation, he dove off the side after his weapon.

Anaiya paused a moment, brows furrowed in shock as he vanished a moment later.

But only for a moment, as Shroud fired at her. The vixen skipped backwards, throwing herself into a back handspring to gain some distance.

There was a grouping of five laser holes near where she had been. She glanced up at Shroud as the ocelot twirled a _five_-barreled shotgun around his finger.

Overkill, that's what that was called.

"Where did you hear that name," she said, her voice calm. He was an easy person to distract. And she was genuinely interested.

She had to know who to kill next.

Shroud paused for a moment, confusion evident on his features, before he brightened, realizing that she was referring to earlier. "Oh, him." He waggled his finger at her. "You know I can't tell you that," he chided.

A wave of hot rage swept over Anaiya, but no sign of it showed on the outside. "You sure can tell me," she said firmly. "I think I have a right to know."

"Right, schmight," Shroud said dismissively, waving her off. "Doesn't work like that. A few people would be pretty mad at me if I told you."

"Like who?"

"Old raazy raazor, for one. Mean guy, he is."

Anaiya's heart stopped. "Raaze? _You're _working with _Raaze_?"

The ocelot froze, his eyes flicking back and forth. "Uh. Did I say that?" He paused. "I did. Whoops. Did not mean to do that. Ya think you could forget about it? Maybe?"

"When did you find this out," Anaiya asked, her voice deadly quiet.

"Not all that long ago. Just a few days. He got pissed off that you BS'ed him and wanted some dirt on you. So, we're cool, right?"

Raaze knew. Again, he was a step ahead.

And this time was the worst.

Shroud glanced at Anaiya's face, and his eyes widened slightly. She must look rather frightening.

"You're dead," the vixen promised, her voice cold with finality. Without waiting for a response, she charged.

Shroud snapped his shotgun around and fired at her. At this range, it was impossible for him to miss. A clump of rounds struck her in the sternum, the refractive coating on her bodysuit negating some of the damage. Still, the lasers shredded a chunk of her suit and flesh. She stumbled under the brutal impact, but continued her charge, coming too close for Shroud to fire his weapon again before she reached him. Realizing this, the ocelot tossed his gun away and activated his energy sword with an exaggerated flourish, finishing with a wide slash at her.

Anaiya ducked and twisted under the opening strike, turning her momentum into a sideways spin, flicking both her knives in towards him as she did. One blade buried itself in Shroud's shoulder, and the other struck his energy blade and melted.

The ocelot staggered back with a cry of pain, his sword weaving wildly as he tried to ward her off while he recovered. Now weaponless, Anaiya took advantage of his distraction and charged forward, narrowly sliding past his blade and bringing her knee up to slam into his gut, doubling him over as his breath whooshed out. The vixen followed up by viciously dropping an elbow onto the back of his head and kneeing him in the stomach again. With contemptuous ease, Anaiya wrested the energy sword from Shroud's grasp, flicking her wrist into a spinning slash that tore easily through the ocelot's hamstring.

With a pathetic wail of pain, Shroud collapsed, his leg spasming wildly.

Anaiya stalked around her crippled opponent, slowly twirling the hilt of the energy sword through her fingers. The weapon was very light; the blade weighed nothing.

"Well," Anaiya said coolly, continuing to circle him, "want to talk now?"

Shroud whimpered.

"Some incentive, then," the vixen said. She stomped down on his hand, splaying the fingers apart. With a careful, precise flick of the energy sword, Anaiya removed his pinky.

Shroud screamed, twitching madly beneath her as his severed digit flew past, caught in the high winds. But still, he did not speak.

"I'm tired of all this backstabbing," Anaiya hissed, her voice rising as her fury boiled over. "I'm sick of it all!" She slashed viciously, taking the rest of the ocelot's fingers. "_Tell me_," she shouted over Shroud's rising screams, "_what Raaze knows about Taim!"_

The stink of cauterized flesh and burning hair was growing, no longer being instantly whipped away by the wind.

The train was slowing.

"Alright!" Shroud screamed, his cheeks wet with tears as she raised the sword again, "alright!"

The ocelot sobbed for breath, stumbling over his words. "Raaze's headed for Zoness. He's doing something else there too, and figured he could make you hurt while he was there. "I didn't know-"

"You told him," Anaiya snarled furiously.

"I didn't know," Shroud shouted frantically, "I didn't know what he was going to do!"

Anaiya didn't wait for more excuses. With a vicious, vindictive slash, the vixen removed the ruins of Shroud's hand at the wrist, then plunged the blade into his chest.

The ocelot's cries stopped, and Anaiya kicked the limp body off the edge of the tram, where it became tangled in the railing, limbs flapping bonelessly.

Anaiya stood still, her fists clenched. She took a long, shuddering breath, trying to calm herself.

Well. There it was. Seven years of effort, obliterated in an instant. It had to happen sooner or later, though she had wished it would have been far, far later. But now, she had to get to Taim first. She would not let Raaze take him from her.

The tram finally shuddered to a halt, and she could see the lights of police shuttles approaching in the distance. Without wasting another moment, Anaiya pulled a small can of her spray-on fur dye from one of her pouches, coating her shining silver tail in a layer of black before replacing the dye in it's pocket and drawing on a pair of gloves. Her mask followed a moment later, and her HUD eyepiece flickered and turned opaque. It was near impossible to see for anyone looking in, rather than out, of the lens.

Everyone besides her.

Anaiya waited another second, letting her fury, her fear, and all other emotions drain away, leaving only the cold, unfeeling logic that had saved her life so many times. She could not afford to be distracted in this.

There was little time. Fox and Gage would have to wait.

The thought froze her just as she began to move. The _Nemesis _was still in the hold of the _Great Fox_.

She could deal with that obstacle when she came to it. For now, she had a squadron of police cruisers to bypass.

The vixen's eyes, visible through the slits in her mask, curved up at the edges as she smiled.

* * *

End.

Yes, I DID use the line break enough. In case you were wondering.

I didn't spend as much time planning that as I usually do, because I've been busy, but I think it turned out already. Trivia time. If you google it, it doesn't count.

Tell me what movie Isren's ship is from, and what book series the second transponder tag he has is from.

The names of the other politicians are all the former names of people in a currently 12 book series. If you get this one, you're my best friend for the day, because I love this series.

I want to see if anyone knows any of this without Google, or if I'm just a lost cause.


	15. Chapter Twelve: Desperate Race

I guess I lied again.

If this edit is setting off alerts, sorry.

But, if you're here anyway, I added a few lines towards the bottom, if you're interested.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya and her team are mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc.

Chapter Twelve: Desperate Race

-The point of living and of being an optimist, is to be foolish enough to believe the best is yet to come.

**Peter Ustinov **

Fox could already tell this day was not going to end well.

People were scurrying around in disarray, screaming in terror as the wreckage of the podium smoldered. Police officers and shuttles hurried about as well, weaving among the panicked crowds as they attempted unsuccessfully to control the situation. Luckily, there was no trace of Vasquez's corpse. That would have made for some even more terrible news pictures.

Damn Anaiya. Why did she have to always do things like this? Always on her own, contemptuous of help and advice. And now this was happening. What a nightmare.

His com pinged, showing Gage's number. Hoping for some good news, for a change, Fox answered.

"Please tell me something good," he said wearily.

"Well, I'm alive, she's alive, and no one lost any limbs," Gage informed him dryly, and rather unhelpfully.

"Har har," Fox replied, his voice flat.

"Besides that," Gage continued, "I tagged Anaiya when she left her spot. We guessed right on the building, by the way. I think she might've spotted the other assassin, too, because she shot again after the explosives detonated. She was royally pissed about something, even before I stopped her."

That didn't bode well.

"Where is she now," Fox asked.

"On a sky tram headed west, followed by a dozen or so police vehicles."

"What? Why?"

"The conductor called it in. Gunfire at the station, and then 'people fighting on his roof.' Apparently."

"Where'd you hear this," Fox demanded, his anxiety rising again. He was only slightly doubtful of Anaiya's ability to evade her pursuers, but even if she did, she'd be hunted as a fugitive.

"Police radio," Gage said casually. "Anyway, at this point she's not actually guilty of anything beyond attempted murder, even if they do manage to catch her and are able to prove anything. Once she gets back, we can finish our earlier discussion and get some answers about Venom."

Fox frowned. "Why'd you put a tracer on her if you think she's going to come back?"

"Because I _don't_ think she's going to come back. It's-"

Gage's voice stopped abruptly. A few seconds later, he spoke again, sounding slightly incredulous. "I think she just jumped onto one of the police ships."

Fox blinked, completely nonplussed. "Uh, what?"

"Go find a 'screen. Ley and I've gotta head back and make a report on the bombing. But _why?_"

"Why what?"

"Why Vasquez? What was so important about him?" Gage was silent for a moment. "Never mind, go."

"...Alright, I'll call her, and then let you know what's up."

"Gotcha." Gage hung up. Fox switched his com off and stared for a moment as the billowing smoke from the ruined podium was finally extinguished.

Such destruction. And for what? Some money?

Fox shook his head. A few hours ago, she'd been _dead_, and now she was blowing up the city while being chased by the police.

Wonderful.

Fox glanced around. Scar and Jerhyn had vanished in the confusion of the explosion, and he had no idea where they were. They couldn't have gone far, though.

But they could fend for themselves for now. Right now, Anaiya possibly blowing up a police convoy took precedence over them.

He scanned the area again, searching, then paused.

Well, that had been simple.

Fox trotted toward a group of people, mostly civilians, with an officer here and there, watching a newly erected viewscreen, used to display street closing, delays, that sort of thing. It was currently showing footage from their area, with a large 'Breaking News' stamped across the bottom. Fox couldn't make out the reporter's words, but he did see her standing not too far away to his right. She closed her mouth, and the image abruptly changed.

Fox felt his jaw slacken, and heard surprised gasps from the group ahead.

The screen showed, from a slightly shaky camera, a group of stopped police vehicles hovering over a skytram, the camera crew a respectful distance away. One of the closer vehicles wobbled and moved erratically as a black-clad figure landed lightly on the hull, having just made an impressive leap from the roof of the skytram.

Fox's eyes narrowed as he _recognized_ the figure. He remembered seeing it before, somewhere. The outfit, the black fur, the graceful movements, everything except the weapons was all so familiar.

Then it clicked.

The video from the Katinan base.

And then _everything_ clicked. All the hints, all the little details, all of it feel into place.

How had he been so _blind? _

As he watched, Anaiya ignited a green blade of energy, twirling it quickly before slamming it into the edge of the cockpit and pulling it in a circle, removing most of the protective glasseteel. The vixen reached in and jerked the hapless pilot out of his ship and hurled him off onto the stationary tram.

A moment later, she had swung herself into the open cockpit and rocketed off, the rest of the police pursuing. The news crew followed both, but dropped behind as Anaiya gained speed and blasted around a corner. The image switched back to the reporter, whose mouth moved soundlessly again.

Fox stared at nothing. She'd been playing them since the beginning, always one step and one lie ahead.

And his last hope, the desire for her to still be the girl he loved shattered.

Had anything she'd said been true? Had she been so twisted by Raaze's torments and whatever else had happened to her that she'd simply stopped caring? It was possible, but he didn't think she was that far gone.

So he let go of his dream, his desire for them to be together again, and decided to save his friend, if he was even that to her anymore.

But in order to do that, he needed real answers, with no deflections or half truths.

And _this_ time, he was going to get them.

Fox spun on his heel and walked off resolutely. He had to find Scar and Jerhyn so he could get Anaiya's number, already kicking himself for not already having it.

He located them barely a minute later, waiting back at the car and looking slightly anxious.

"There you are," Jerhyn called, his voice relieved, "we thought something bad happened."

"This is such a mess," Scar muttered, staring around, "she really did it this time."

"Yes," Fox agreed, "she did. I need her number."

"Later," Scar said dismissively. "Let's just head back now, and then-"

"No," Fox replied flatly, "_now_."

Scar shot him a slightly startled, look. "You're not going to call now and distract her while she's flying like that, are you?"

"Scar," Fox said slowly, _"_give me the number _now_."

The wolverine stared at him again. "Seven nine four two eight seven."

"Thank you." Fox dialed the six digits into his com.

Waiting.

CALL CONNECTED.

Fox took a deep breath.

CALL TERMINATED.

He blinked, then tried again.

CALL CONNECTED.

"Hey, Anai-"

CALL TERMINATED.

Okay, now. This was ridiculous.

He called again.

And she actually answered, with a furious hiss as the call connected.

"_Not now!"_

"Anaiya," Fox said firmly, surprising himself with his slightly chilly tone, "we need to talk."

"Not _now_," she snarled, "I'll call you in a few days."

"Wait-"

CALL TERMINATED.

Fox scowled. A few days? What was she going to do? There was only so much she could do on Corneria, right?

Although, who said she intended to stay on planet at all?

Scar and Jerhyn were watching him expectantly.

"Jerhyn," he said, "can you track the bug Gage planted on Anaiya?"

Jerhyn blinked. "Bug?"

Guess not.

Fox blinked as he remembered.

Her Arwing was still in the _Great Fox's_ hangar.

"we've got to beat her back to the _Great Fox,_" he told them, walking briskly back to the car. "We can't let her get off planet."

"Why not?" Scar asked, hurrying after him.

"Because we're getting some answer this time," Fox replied.

"I think you said that last time," Scar observed as Jerhyn bobbed his head in agreement.

"I also don't think she's going to come back," Fox said flatly, punching Gage's number into his com, who answered almost immediately.

"Go."

"You knew, didn't you?"

"What?"

"About Anaiya."

There was a moment of silence.

"I suspected, "Gage explained, "and said as much, but you didn't get it."

Fox opened his mouth, an angry retort on his tongue, then stopped. Gage was right. The fox _had_ tried tot ell him, and he'd brushed it off. _Blindly_ ignored the blatant signs.

"I think she's going to try and get off-planet," Fox said abruptly, "and her ship's in the _Great Fox_. Meet us there as soon as you can, and we'll head her off."

"Why's she running," Gage asked.

"Dunno. She's furious about _something_, thought."

"So," Gage said said carefully, "we're done with her?"

Fox sighed. "I hope not," he said, "but I need some questions answered."

"Oh, Gage said, and...was it relief in his tone? Glad he wouldn't have to fight her, maybe?

Whatever it was, it could be dealt with later.

"We're going now," Fox finished. "Hurry."

"Got it."

The call ended, and Fox nodded to Scar, who climbed into the driver's seat of his car and started the engine. Fox and Jerhyn clambered aboard as well, and Scar pulled the car out-

-only to smash into another vehicle that suddenly sped up from their blind spot.

Scar swore loudly as they jerked violently in their seats. "Who the f-"

"My apologies," said a cool, flat voice from beside them, "how _ever_ did I not see you."

"Son of a bitch," Scar growled.

"Surprised, Fox turned to look at the vehicle that hit them and stared into Sabre's emotionless eyes.

"What are _you_ doing here," Fox asked curiously.

"I believe the term is 'running interference," Sabre said, the phrase rolling of his tongue like something distasteful. "But don't mind me."

Fox scowled. He was trying to buy Anaiya time to get away unhindered.

"Oh dear," Sabre continued, "look at the damage." He didn't, actually. "Unfortunately, it appears as though we shall have to wait for the authorities to arrive and sort this mess out. What a shame."

"The hell we will," Scar snarled. The wolverine pulled out anyway, smashing Sabre's vehicle aside and speeding down the street, heedless of the vehicles that swerved to avoid him. The unsurprisingly colored black car was still for a long second, then sped after them, edging up alongside them. Scar jerked the wheel back and forth, keeping his vehicle in front of Sabre's. With a patience characteristic of the black fox, Sabre continued to move back and forth, until Scar slipped slightly. With a quick burst of speed, Sabre pulled up beside them, staring flatly in the window. Scar flashed him a rude gesture, and Jerhyn chuckled.

Sabre's expression, or lack thereof, didn't change. A moment later, the barrel of his pistol emerged from the window.

Jerhyn's chuckle caught in his throat.

Sabre fired twice, his lasers punching holes in the rear passenger door. Fox jerked his leg aside as one of the rounds whizzed past him.

"I thought he was on our side, "Fox shouted irately, struggling to buckle his seatbelt as Scar jerked the car back and forth.

"The asshole doesn't have _sides_," Scar returned, spinning the wheel, "he has _whims!"_

Sabre's next two shots punctured his own windshield and struck the road in front of them, forcing Scar to turn sharply down a side route to avoid them. A side route that did _not_ lead the way they wanted to go.

Sabre followed them. With a growl of frustration, Fox drew his own pistol, the one Anaiya had made for him. It sat much better in his hand than his old one, he decided, as he shoved it out the window, aiming backward. He was not going to let her run again. Not this time. And all that stood in the way was this guy.

Fox fired at Sabre, the red rounds lancing into the hood of the pursuing vehicle easily. There was a sudden, strange whining, and Sabre's car swerved abruptly, crashing into the left wall of the alley with a tremendous crunching of metal. Two seconds later, the vehicle erupted in a fiery explosion that singed the fur on Fox's face as he recoiled in shock.

"Good shot," Scar shouted gleefully.

"I didn't mean to _blow him up_," Fox said, "he was helping us!"

Well, not at that particular moment, but he had _before, _and probably would have after.

"Who cares," Scar laughed, "that was great! I hope he burns for a _long_ time!"

Jerhyn looked a little uneasy and slightly squeamish in the passenger seat, but kept quiet, cleaning his glasses nervously.

Fox frowned over at Scar. That seemed a bit much, but then he remembered what Sabre had said before, about killing the wolverine's brother. Still, he hoped he hadn't killed the guy. He felt bad now. It didn't look like there had been any opportunity for the black fox to escape. Scar, obviously, would not wait and find out. He sped up again.

"Taking this route," he explained, "cost us a couple minutes at the least. She might beat us there now."

Fox nodded, his doubts vanishing. "Hurry."

She could feel blood leaking from her torn middle, and the pain slowly returning. All the aches and pains, all the damaged nerves and cells; she felt them all now, at this vital moment when she could least afford it.

But Anaiya ran on.

With a thought, she activated her com, dialing Rogosh's number and dodging to avoid a pair of pedestrians, who shouted as she blew past them.

She'd been forced to ditch the police cruiser to throw her pursuers off, crashing the vehicle and bailing out unnoticed.

Her call connected.

"Anaiya," Rogosh said, sounding annoyed, "you blew up Vasquez _and_ Shroud? Come on, now. I know we're friends and all, but really-"

"Rogosh," Anaiya cut in harshly, leaping and sliding across the hood of a moving car, "shut up. Tell me what you know about Raaze is doing, now."

"What's this about-"

"_Now!"_

There was a slight pause.

"Alright," Rogosh said slowly. "From what I hear from my inside man, he's sending one of his fleet commanders, and a battle group out to get something. Not sure what. Though, an entire group to retrieve one thing seems a little much."

"Which commander?"

"Uh. Aurian, I think, and his _Firestorm,_ along with a couple cruisers. Why?"

Anaiya stumbled and almost crashed into a wall, but recovered both her balance and speed quickly.

Aurian, huh? Great. Absolutely _wonderful_.

"Where's he headed?"

"Anaiya, I don't think-"

"Rogosh! This is important!"

"Tell me _why_, then!" The wolf's tone was no longer playful. "Why do you need to know where a Venomian battle flotilla is headed? This is going to mean another _war_, Anaiya! Stay away from them!"

"I can't," Anaiya snarled. "I don't have time for this; tell me!"

"No," Rogosh said flatly.

This time when she stumbled, Anaiya fell the rest of the way to the hard ground with a flare of pain in her stomach. With a growl, she shoved herself to her feet.

"'No'?" she echoed, her voice deadly quiet, "_no?"_

"I'm not going to help you kill yourself," the wolf said stoutly.

Anaiya was, for the first time in a long while, at a loss for words.

"You've changed, Rogosh," she managed after a moment.

Normally, she'd have a lot more to say. She'd had a few _great_ opportunities in the past day or so for some good shots, but she'd been too tense and irritable. Kind of like she was now.

She might have to tell him the truth. She needed that location. It would take far too long to hunt down his agents. She had to get it from him.

Besides, he had a right to know. If she were being fair, at least. Which was not often, but...

So be it.

"Rogosh," she said calmly, "I have to tell you something."

They arrived at the _Great Fox's _hangar rather quickly, though slower than Fox would have liked. There were no other vehicles around. Maybe she hadn't gotten here yet? Or was on foot and already gone?

Fox slipped out of the car quickly and headed inside, letting out a sigh of relief, Scar and Jerhyn close behind.

There it was, right alongside Starfox's blue and white Arwings; the sinister-looking black and red form of Anaiya's _Nemesis_.

They'd made it in time.

Just outside the hangar, there was a whining rumble characteristic of a dying vehicle engine, then Gage and Ley entered, looking suitably grim.

"Things are not going well," Dagger's captain said to Fox, his face hard. "The attack on the base, the destruction of _Corneria's Gambit_..." He shook his head. "And there's been no communication with Venom, at all. No messages, no responses to hails, nothing. We don't even know for sure that there's anything there _to_ respond with. But it has to be Venom. There's no other explanation. But they're ignoring us. If these sorts of things keep up, we're going to have another war on our hands."

Fox rubbed his temples.

War with Venom. The last time that'd happened, it had torn the galaxy apart and nearly destroyed everything they held dear. Countless innocents had been killed, planets ravaged, and cities burned, all because of Andross's ambition.

Such a thing couldn't be allowed to happen again.

"Hopefully _this_ goes well," he muttered, not mentioning how doubtful he was of _that_ happening. "Then we can deal with averting a war."

"So what's the plan," Gage asked, reaching under his open vest and adjusting what was probably a gun.

Fox let out a long breath. "She doesn't leave here until we've got answers," he said, "after that..." The fox shrugged.

Gage nodded while Ley rolled her shoulders, and Scar frowned slightly. Jerhyn swallowed and Fox flexed his hands.

And Anaiya walked into the hangar.

Almost staggered in, actually.

She was a mess, simply put. Her visible fur was tousled and windswept, and her suit was covered in tiny, bloody gashes. Her hand was pressed to her side as she limped in. The vixen's teeth were gritted in pain, and her eyes were bloodshot and slightly wet, for some reason.

She missed a step as she saw them, but didn't slow until she was only a few paces away, meeting their gazes evenly. Her eyes smoldered in anger and...fear?

"We need to have a talk," Fox said, keeping his voice flat.

"I told you," Anaiya said evenly, "that I would call you in a few days."

"Not good enough," Fox said. "I want some answers _now_."

In an eye blink, Anaiya's pistol cleared her holster and drew a bead on him. Her eyes flicked left and right to the barrels of Gage's and Ley's weapons, trained on the vixen herself.

"Fox," Anaiya hissed, her gun barrel trembling slightly, "get out of my way or I _swear_ I will blow you away. I don't have time for this."

"Anaiya," Scar said warningly, but Fox held up a hand and stepped closer to the vixen, ignoring her weapon.

"What's so urgent you can't answer a few questions," he asked.

The vixen's icy eyes bored into his own, as though trying to see his next move hidden in there.

"Talk really, really fast," she said curtly, lowering her weapon to her side. Dagger followed suit.

"Did you steal the virus sample from the base on Katina," Fox asked, wasting no time but already resigned to the answer.

Anaiya's eyes closed in what could have been sorrow for a moment, then snapped open, determination evident. "Yes," she answered, her tone clipped.

"Why?"

"You already know why. I didn't have much of a choice, and I can't afford to die just yet."

He did know. He imagined Raaze was not the kindest of bosses. But why not 'just yet'?

He asked as much.

"That's absolutely _none_ of your business."

Well, fine then. He hadn't really expected an answer. Now came the big question, the one that would probably determine whether or not Gage shot her right now.

"Are you still on Venom's side?"

The vixen's head tilted slightly. "No," she said after a moment, as if giving it some thought.

"Are you on ours, then?"

Anaiya paused for a moment, seemingly giving the question serious thought. "More than I am on theirs," she said finally.

Fox scowled. "Okay, if you had to pick a side, which would it be?"

She shrugged. "Neither. I don't have a side, and I don't want one at this point."

Better than her going over to Venom, then. Still, it smarted that she wouldn't side with Corneria over _Venom, _of all things.

"Fine," he continued, "what do you know about Venom's plans?"

The corner of her mouth curled. "A lot more than _you_ do, it seems."

Fox's temper was fraying. This was hard enough as it was, without her making it more difficult. "Stop screwing with me," he said, his voice rising, "you're lucky we don't just turn you in!"

"Stop wasting my time then," Anaiya snarled back, "and _you're_ an idiot if you think I'd let you! You want to arrest me?" Her gun came back up, along with Gage's and Ley's. "Try it. I dare you."

Scar looked like he was about to say something, but Fox shook his head slowly, and finally came to terms with things.

"You aren't the woman I fell in love with," he said heavily.

And it was true. She wasn't the same. He'd thought she was a tough girl before, but this Anaiya made that girl seem like a doll by comparison.

Anaiya blinked as though he'd slapped her, and her barrel wavered slightly. Then her eyes moved to their oft-seen icy hardness, and the gun steadied.

"No," she said, "I'm not. You loved the little girl Vareyn, who was trying to act like a tough grownup when she wasn't, just imagining her Anaiya mask was strong. Vareyn wore her mask for too long and through too much, and now there _is_ no Vareyn anymore. It's just the mask left, and you never loved the mask; only the girl underneath."

Her grip on her pistol firmed.

"So. What do you do now? I'm just a law-breaking stranger."

Fox closed his eyes. It was hard to decide which hurt more; the fact that she'd been lying to him since their first meeting, or the fact that this was the first time he'd ever heard her name.

"Have you _ever_ told me something truthful," he said only partially joking.

Anaiya's eyelids flickered for a moment, and she gritted her teeth. "Yeah," she said. "I used to love you, too. I'd still take a bullet for you, but my..._priorities_ have changed." She lowered her gun again. "There's a Venomian strike force headed toward Zoness."

Gage and Ley stiffened.

"I have to beat them there," Anaiya continued softly, staring up at Fox, "please. Just let me go. Don't make me do something we'll all regret."

And when Fox stepped quietly aside, it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would.

Neither Gage nor Ley made any move, surprising Fox slightly.

Anaiya was still for a moment, then she walked past, her breath ghosting across his neck as she turned slightly to look at him.

"Don't worry," she said, hopping up onto her Arwing, "I'll see you again, once I've, sorted out a few problems. I'll be around." Her gaze lingered on Gage. "You too. Don't think I've forgotten about our rematch."

Gage didn't smile. There was a strange look on his face, but he nodded as Anaiya threw him and Ley her lazy, three-fingered salute, which the leopardess returned.

Fox watched as Anaiya slid into the cockpit and closed the canopy. Her eyes locked with his for a moment before the ship lifted, assaulting them with a warm wind.

And then the crimson Arwing soared forward out of the hangar, and she was gone.

Scar let out a long breath.

"That could've been handled better," the wolverine said gruffly, "but I suppose there was no reasoning with her. Whatever's got her all twisted up is more important to her than what you've got going here."

Jerhyn nodded vigorously at his side, looking faintly green.

Gage sighed heavily. "We've got to get back," he said, indicating himself and Ley. "If there _is_ a strike force going towards Zoness, wherever Venom got the ships for that kind of attack, they'll make contact soon, if they haven't already. There's no point in doubting her in something like this. If they're there, CFC will know soon enough." His eyes locked with Fox's. "You should prep your ships. I'm sure you'll be coming if a force is sent along."

Fox nodded absently, staring out of the hangar into the clouds, where he liked to imagine he could see a tiny red spot. Cornerian Fleet Command would indeed know soon.

Gage clapped him on the shoulder with forced bravado. "She'll be back."

"I've got a feeling we'll run into her soon enough," Ley supplied. "She's going to Zoness; I'd bet everything I've got that she's gonna get herself mixed up in whatever happens out there."

Fox moved his gaze to his two friends and smiled. "I'm sure you're right," he said, waving as they said their goodbyes, but not really paying attention, even as Gage paused to take a call.

Somehow, he hadn't expected it to end quite like that. He'd played that round poorly, maybe, and he'd lost her because of it.

But he knew that he'd really lost her long before today.

The hyperspace jump seemed to be taking longer than usual, Anaiya decided, as she brooded in the silent cockpit. Perhaps because she had more to think about than was usual.

The way with which they'd parted left a sour taste in her mouth, and sent a pang of regret through her. She hadn't meant to end it like that. Fox was hurting, and he really didn't deserve it. Scar would be fine; he should be used to her running out randomly. Jerhyn she didn't care about. Gage...

Gage she couldn't read.

And it annoyed her.

But there wasn't time to worry about that now. Right now, Zoness wasn't far off. She needed to prepare.

Again.

Her pistols were still clean and loaded. Her knives were still in place. Shroud's energy sword was still clipped to her belt. Her wrist blade was still clean and functioning. Her grenades were still secure.

After the third check, they'd damn well better be.

She reached into a side compartment, aiming to snag a few more energy batteries, and frowned as her hand stopped on a small cylinder. She drew it out, frowning as her hand stopped on a small cylinder. She drew it out, her scowl deepening in confusion as she regarded the crimson pills in the tiny container.

She'd forgotten about them. She hadn't had an attack in a while, not since before Shran had gutted her...

After breaking the virus case. Getting the virus all over his claws and then _into her_.

A cold knot formed in her stomach.

Why would she get _better_ after that?

And then the _Nemesis_ dropped out of hyperspace into a war zone, and all other thoughts vanished.

Aurian moved fast, as usual.

The _Firestorm_ lived up to it's name; an inferno of streaking lasers and explosions raged in front of her, the Zonessian defenders fighting valiantly. Planetary batteries and a single, ancient _Victory_-class capital ship pounded into the Venomian flagship, but its shields held firmly, and the ship returned with far superior firepower.

Flocks of starfighters from both sides were engaged in countless dogfights, blasting each other into nothingness. Some were organized in assault runs on the capital ships, only to be annihilated by AA guns.

The Zonessians were going to lose. Badly. Their navy was basically nothing, and their almost as poor army was worthless in this conflict. They had _just_ finished rebuilding their ecosystem from the toxic dump Venom had turned it into. All their energy had been poured into bringing the refugees home, and their few remaining defenses were no match for the _Firestorm's_ barrage.

Pure, brute force had always been Venom's forte, anyway.

A squadron of Venomian starfighters detached from the battle and soared toward her, weaving and dodging as they disengaged from their previous fights.

Anaiya was glad she wasn't going to stick around long.

She activated her com as five other ships dropped out of hyperspace around her.

"You ready?" She asked.

"Ready as we'll ever be, love," Rogosh answered, "we'll cover you. Go get him."

"Thank you," she said softly. Her fighter escort rocketed past her towards the approaching squadron, lasers already blazing.

Rogosh was too nice for his own good, leader of a bandit group or not. Although, he had almost as big a stake in this as she did. She really did owe him big time, now.

Anaiya broke off, heading for the surface. She could already see troop transports heading down.

Another invasion, then. Raaze's ego was as big as Andross's had been, no matter what he said to the contrary. He was a fool if he thought he could actually control all of the Lylat system, even if he did manage to beat down all opposition.

The vixen frowned, jerking the control sticks to dodge a stray laser that flashed past.

It was going to be difficult to get down to the surface with all the Venomian fighters flying around, and she didn't have the time or skill to prevail against lots of enemies in a protracted dogfight. The _Nemesis_ didn't have a cloak generator; it would've been ridiculously expensive to modify one in order to fit it to the ancient Arwing. She'd settled for a rather efficient radar scrambler, which, some way or another, disrupted the sensor probes that would track her. There was always the chance they'd just glance up and see her, too, but no one used such obsolete methods anymore.

But now, for the reason she'd come here. Anaiya dropped low into a concealing cloud, hovering there as she keyed a number into her com, her hand wavering only slightly. It had been so long...

But it had been for his own good. He might not understand it yet, but even her _thinking_ about him was dangerous. It was just another sacrifice for Anaiya, but it still hurt.

The call connected swiftly, as it should. It wasn't an emergency number for nothing.

"Anaiya? Is that you?"

The voice was composed, but there was a panicky undertone that suggested all was not well.

Like the planet being invaded, for instance.

"Yeah, Selena, it's me," the vixen answered, masking her trepidation. "I'm on my way to you."

"Oh thank God. We're in the shelter and I don't think they'll find us, or even be _looking _for us specifically, but-"

"Selena," Anaiya cut in, "how's Taim?"

"Oh, he's taking this surprisingly well, but-"

"I want to talk to him," Anaiya interrupted again, flinching slightly as a starfighter rocketed past her.

It had been so long since she'd seen him. Far too long. She hadn't dared come anywhere near him, for fear that she'd be found out. And despite all her precautions, she'd failed somewhere. Raaze had found out. And now she'd pay for it.

"Oh." Selena sounded slightly taken aback. "Alright. I'm sure he'll be glad to talk to you again. It's been a long time since your last call. Even longer since a visit."

"I tried to come a few days ago, but circumstances changed."

Right after she'd stolen the virus, that'd been her vacation plan, to finally spend some time with him, with a valid, unsuspicious reason for being on the planet in the first place. But, of course, nothing ever went well for her.

"Oh," Selena said again, "alright. Hold on a second."

"Not like I have anywhere to go," Anaiya muttered, blasting apart a curious scout ship that ventured too close to her cloud.

There was a slight scuffling as the phone probably transferred hands, and then the voice she'd been longing to hear finally spoke.

"Mommy?"

General Pepper glanced up, his tired eyes brightening with a small amount of relief as Gage slipped into the room. Only general Katas noticed his arrival, dark eyes following the fox's movement silently. Didn't miss a trick, that man.

"Now," Pepper said, as if continuing from another topic, "onto the meat of the matter."

Gage took a moment to glance around the room and observe the seated figures. There were some big names here. Cool-headed Katas, general Granrel, and lieutenant Reines as well, though the avian's silver bar had been replaced with a double barred captain's insignia. He was accompanied by a pretty young lynx, who sat ramrod straight beside him. It seemed she'd taken his old job, too, judging by the silver lieutenant bar on her decorated chest. Gage recognized her; Isabella Kerrigan, rising star of the Cornerian forces. Her exam scores in the Academy had been record-setting highs, and her tactics matches with the strategy simulators were the newest legends told to all the students. If she kept her stellar track record, she stood a very good chance of becoming the first female general.

Despite the fact that she was completely untested in real combat, of course. But anyway.

Pepper clicked his remote, and an image appeared on the screen, eliciting a heavy, resigned sigh from most of the room. Katas shook his head wearily, and Kerrigan sat up even straighter, somehow.

A huge Venomian capital ship, surrounded by a number of smaller cruisers, dominated the view. The hard black lines and crimson highlights were silhouetted ominously against the darkness of space.

So Anaiya had been right, after all.

"This," Pepper said, indicating the vessel, "is the VAF _Firestorm_."

Everyone went still.

_That_ was a very familiar name.

A very hated name.

This shot was taken an hour ago when it jumped into orbit above Zoness, at the head of a battle flotilla. No messages were sent, and it opened fire immediately." Pepper paused grimly for a moment. "We lost all contact in that sector shortly after. It's believed that Venom has developed some kind of mass jammer, and it puts us at a severe disadvantage. We have no guess as to what's going on over there now, but it's highly unlikely that Zoness held out against that fleet." Pepper sighed. "Whatever Venom's intentions, this is an unforgivable offense, and we have to mobilize immediately to prevent another invasion, if that is indeed their goal. I'm sure you all remember what happened last time we were caught with our pants down."

They all did, no doubt about it. Gage knew he certainly did.

The general's suddenly steely eyes swept over them, and Gage almost shivered as words he hadn't heard in the longest time swept over him.

"At this point, we are in a state of war with Venom, until such time that an armistice is negotiated. Captain Reines will lead a battlegroup to Zoness and assess the situation. Starfox and Dagger" Pepper's eyes flicked to Gage once "will accompany him."

Reines glanced up at Gage and nodded in acknowledgement. Gage returned the gesture. "General Katas will organize our remaining forces for a counter-assault while captain Reines is away."

Pepper stared around at them, then nodded curtly.

"Let's do it right this time, gentlemen."

Bit of a short one, this time.

I can't wait to say "Lieutenant Kerrigan, reporting."


	16. Chapter Thirteen: Catalyst

It makes it so much sweeter when there's a new chapter if it's been nine months since the last one, right?

Also, bit of a fragmented half chapter again. Lots of POV switches. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Probably.

This chapter ended up being almost thirty pages long, so I split it into two sections. The second one's Anaiya, and this one is basically everyone else. I'll upload that in a week or so.

Introducing a few characters that'll play a bigger role later.

Much later, at the rate I go.

Made a tiny addition to last chapter. Just a few lines of description I found lacking. Not quite worth going back for.

I reread most of what I have so far, and I see a lot of things I don't like. At all. I toyed around with the idea of a total overhaul, but at the rate I go I'll never finish this if I go that road, and I very much intend to finish. So, for now at least, I'll leave all that meh stuff as is and plod onward.

But _god_ I want to punch Rogosh in the nose.

Anyway. This stupid upload feature took out all of my paragraphs, so this thing was one huge wall of text when I uploaded it. I think I got them all, but forgive me if there's a line break missing, or one paragraph where there should be two.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya is mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc.

Chapter Thirteen: Catalyst

The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.

-Chris Hedges

* * *

The _Raven's Flight_ was quite a beautiful vessel, Fox decided, looking through the _Great Fox's_ viewport, all smooth edges and polished gunmetal. The weapon barrels were pristine, not stained black from countless laser blasts. There were no weld marks from where the ship had been repaired, no signs of battle damage at all. In a word, it was perfect; exactly the ship the navy needed to display to the press to pound in the belief that the Cornerian Navy was unbeatable.

If Fox had to choose a word to describe it, however, it wouldn't have been 'perfect'. This ship had never seen combat. It was virtually impossible for a ship of that size to escape a battle without a single scar, and the already tiny odds became microscopic after more than one encounter.

All that the view showed Fox was that the ship was untested. Granted, Captain Reines was a tried and true commander, and he had all but hand-picked his crew, but the ship was fresh off the assembly line. And a very expensive, very exclusive assembly line it was.

Fox knew that it was the captain and the crew that made a ship, not the other way around, but it still worried him. They were most likely going to go up against a Venomian _Victory-_class flagship with nothing but a probably inferior capital ship, the _Great Fox_, and a handful of cruisers. Fox didn't fancy their odds if it came down to a firefight.

He well remembered the terrible destruction the _Victory_ flagships had wrought during the Lylat War. They were huge, powerful vessels, capable of going toe-to-toe with any ship in the Cornerian Navy and usually emerging with their namesake as the prize. Corneria's own _Titan-_class capital ships were no match for them, and Zoness's cheap knock-offs, manufactured as quickly as possible to give them an edge in the coming conflict, had even less of a chance. Fortunately, Venom's were ridiculously expensive to create, and only eight had been manufactured when war broke out. Four had been destroyed by the time of Andross's death, and another fell in the cleanup of Venom's forces. It had required both incredible firepower and skilled commanders to take down those ships, and each one brought low had been a major morale boost for Corneria.

Three, however, were unaccounted for. One had never even been seen on the battlefield, its existence only confirmed by records procured by Katinan Special Forces. The other two, though, had both made hated names for themselves during the war, and it infuriated many when their husks were not among the fallen.

The _Ascendancy_ had lived up to its name by being a royal pain in the ass. It was constantly reported to targeting a high-priority area and, once Cornerian forces arrived, was nowhere to be found. Sometimes the intelligence was gained by Cornerian forces, and sometimes they intercepted Venomian transmissions with force deployments. Sometimes it was quite obvious the information was planted for them to find. They couldn't exactly ignore such threats, though; the locations were too valuable to simply leave to chance. This game was repeated for months on end, dragging sorely-needed forces away from key battlefield positions to guard against a non-existent threat. Of course, the one time their forces were stretched too thin to respond to a call, or because they were simply tired of chasing ghosts, the _Ascendancy_ annihilated a valuable research platform and the small battalion protecting it. Experimental technology of incalculable value and thousands of lives were lost. The Ghost of Venom, as its faceless captain was called, left a taunting message among the rubble of the shattered vessels, earning the eternal enmity of Cornerian forces: _'Venom sends its regards. Better luck next time.'_

It continued to deceive and misdirect their forces with false information and random appearances throughout the war, doing more damage, even without firing a shot, than some of the other _Victory-_class ships.

Its infamy, however, paled before that of the _Firestorm_, the sole other remaining _Victory-_class ship, and the very one the _Raven's Flight_ was preparing to challenge.

It was common knowledge among the military forces of both sides that Andross had been a brilliant scientist. He was, however, more interested in creating sick experiments and perfecting bio-weapons, rather than directing his troops. He was not a general.

It was also common knowledge that, had there been a commander-in-chief of Venom's forces that actually knew what he was doing beyond 'go here, smash this', it would have been Fleet Commander Aurian.

And the Cornerian forces might well have lost the war. A single mercenary squad would not have been able to turn the tide.

A tactical genius, Aurian, as he was only known as, commanded respect and fear not only from his own troops, but also from his opponents. Every move he made was carefully calculated, and panic under stress was a foreign concept to him. His plans ranged from simple, head-on assaults to mind-bogglingly complex strategies relying on anticipating enemy reactions and precise troop placement. His forces hung on his every word, not questioning an order, no matter how arbitrary or trivial it seemed. They were never either, despite appearances.

His most infamous victory was undoubtedly the time he outwitted and outmaneuvered _three _entire Cornerian flotillas, which contained a capital ship and cruiser escorts, with only the _Firestorm_ and a few cruisers. Fox doubted the Cornerian commanders would even have been overly ashamed of their loss, such was Aurian's brilliance.

Had they survived the encounter, of course.

There was a galaxy-wide manhunt at the end of the war for the _Firestorm_ and her commander. The outrage when he escaped was immense.

And now he was back, returning at the very place he first conquered at the beginning of the war.

What was he after? And why now?

And what did Anaiya have to do with it?

Fox's com crackled.

"Fox," Gage said, "we're about to jump to hyperspace. The _Raven's _navigator'll send over synced coordinates so we drop in at the same time."

"Gotcha. Do we have a plan?"

"That's what we're going to talk about. I'm going to meet with Reines and his LT; we'll set up a holo-conference between our briefing room and your bridge."

"Okay." Fox hesitated a moment. "What're you going to be doing during all this? I don't think ship-to-ship is really your area of expertise."

Gage grunted in agreement. "Right. I'm guessing we're here in case Venom's got forces on the ground already. We'll be in trouble if they're dug in already, though; with the forces we have, we won't be able to shift them."

"They might've," Fox said, "Zoness hasn't committed many resources to planetary defenses yet. They've been more concerned about rebuilding and cleaning out their oceans."

"Yeah, well," Gage muttered, "bet they're wishing their priorities were different _now_."

Fox snorted. "Probably. I'm going to prep my Arwing." He turned away from the viewport, boots clicking on the metal deck. "You still getting a reading from that bug?"

"Yep." Gage chuckled softly. "She's already in the middle of trouble."

Fox did not share his amusement.

"I'll talk to you soon," he said, then disconnected the com channel.

There was a quiet thump off to the side, and Fox was immediately on alert. There wasn't anyone else on the ship.

Or, at least, there wasn't supposed to be.

Fox slid out of his chair and tip-toed towards the bridge door, his hand dropping to the grip of his pistol. He leaned his head close to the door, easing his weapon out of its holster and frowning at the sound of muffled voices.

"What's he saying? I can't hear-"

"That's because you're too loud, bitch, now shut up-"

"Guys, _please_ keep your voices down, or he's going to hear-"

"Idiots."

Fox had a rather good idea who it was that had stowed away on his ship now. With an exasperated sigh, he flung the door open, releasing his pistol. "You could've just asked to come, you know," he said dryly.

Jerhyn, Scar, and Ayame stood in the hallway, looking like deer in the headlights and almost toppling over as the door they were pressed against swung open.

"Told you he'd hear us," Jerhyn muttered, adjusting his glasses and shooting Ayame an irritated glance.

"No you," Ayame said brazenly, the utter lack of sense contained in her sentence not seeming to effect her confidence in the least.

Scar ignored them both, drawing himself up and meeting Fox's gaze. "Couldn't take the chance of you saying no," he replied calmly. "I had to be here, ready, in case..." He shrugged. "Just in case."

"I get that," Fox said, accepting the answer, "but why them too?" He jabbed a finger at the other two squabbling stowaways. Jerhyn seemed much more confident in himself now, to be arguing with that nutty woman.

Scar sighed. "I couldn't leave Jerhyn alone, and this stupid girl thought it'd be fun. I swear, I have no idea how she survives..."

"How'd you get on without setting off my security systems, though?"

Scar jerked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing at empty space. "Him."

Fox frowned at him, and the wolverine glanced over his shoulder, cursing.

"Damn it, he keeps doing that. It's so annoying. Sabre got us on, but I have no idea why. Didn't take him long, either, but he was right with us right up until you opened the door. Watch out for him lurking around; that's one guy I wouldn't want to run into in the middle of the night."

Fox's frown remained. His security systems weren't _that_ bad. He needed Slippy back to tune them up.

"Well, I'm sure you can figure out where the crew quarters are," he said, turning back to the bridge, "don't break anything."

He missed his team. This one he was stuck with was...

..Dysfunctional, to say the least.

* * *

Zoness was burning, like it had nearly a decade ago.

When Venom had invaded the first time.

Fire rained from the skies as Venomian ships darted past, lasers streaking down in eruptions of rubble and clouds of dust. Buildings collapsed in fiery explosions as occasional bombers screamed overhead, their ordnance falling to the planet below. Rain vaporized with an eerie hiss as it contacted the crackling flames. Sporadic dogfights were scattered across the sky, none lasting more than a minute or so before the victor streaked off, triumphant, leaving his defeated opponent to crash and burn.

There were far fewer screams than there should have been, however, with such a large swath of city being devastated. The Zonessians had learned well from the last incident. The underground bomb shelters were full with civilians. But only civilians. The Zonessian Military was not completely defenseless. Still, Tom knew they were in trouble. Coms and radar were completely dead. One second _Ocean's Pearl's_ ensign had been screaming about the _Firestorm_, and then silence. A number of advanced electronic vehicle and aircraft systems were down too.

Zoness was blind.

Venom had perfected some kind of new weapon, and a very, very dangerous one at that. It was almost like an EMP burst, but disrupted radio waves as well as a seemingly arbitrary amount of electronics. It had to be quite widespread to be most effective, as well. It left them completely in the dark, and very, very vulnerable to a second invasion.

Something was different from last time, though. Tom Reilly remembered the Lylat War, how the Venomians had simply swooped in, a tidal wave of unstoppable menace. Everywhere was hit at once, and all opposition stomped out before it even began.

But not this time. This time, the fighting seemed to be concentrated in the small city area around them, and no troops had landed yet, that he had seen. The fighters were just that; there were only one, maybe two scattered bombers around, instead of the carpet bombing and leveling of the cities as the Venomians had done before. They were not poisoning the waters to starve them. Even odder, _Ocean's Pearl_, their sole remaining _Thunder_-class ship, had reported engaging a Venomian capital ship, the _Firestorm, _maybe, seconds before the coms went down. The outdated hardware shouldn't have lasted long against many Venomian ships, and even less time against the _Firestorm,_ leaving Zoness open to orbital bombardment.

So what were they up to?

Company and squad leaders were attempting to restore order, but they were as unnerved and clueless as everyone else. In the ensuing confusion of the blackout, Tom had located most of his new squad in their barracks. Horrible timing Venom had, too; the sergeant had just been assigned three new recruits, and Tom hadn't done more than introduce himself to them yet.

There was Corporal Greg Clemenzi, the only other member of Reilly's original unit to stay with him. The grizzled, heavyset otter had fought alongside Reilly the first time Zoness had been invaded, and Reilly trusted him with his life.

PFC Janet Allens had been the first recruit to join them. The poor girl was visibly terrified by what was going on, and had somehow managed to get herself cut already. The dark crimson of the blood made an ugly contrast with the bright red of her feathers and medic patch. But Reilly could tell she was tough; despite their situation, the cardinal hadn't uttered a word of complaint.

Private Andrew Dart was the next soldier assigned to Tom's squad, and the weasel had been wearing a ferocious scowl ever since they'd met. Tom couldn't tell if it was because of Reilly himself, or because that was just how Dart looked. While he'd had the opportunity to join the military during the first war, Dart had decided to stay at home with his wife and son, and got to watch as they died.

The poisoning of Zoness had killed them both, and left Dart scarred and sick for the longest time until he finally recovered, surviving with scored vocal-cords and a toxin-riddled, pock-marked body. And now, he finally had his chance for revenge. Tom didn't trust him, and most certainly did not want to ever have to rely on him, but he was a member of Reilly's squad now.

Unfortunately.

The last member, Private Charlie Kish, was the most archetypical one in the group of them, and that was okay with Reilly. Stereotypes he could deal with. Enthusiastic to the point of being called gung-ho, he was constantly throwing jokes around and making everyone else, except Dart, smile and laugh, which Reilly appreciated. They needed to keep morale up, though Tom wondered how he kept _himself_ so upbeat through all this.

"Okay," he said, once they were all assembled, "I'm going to find an officer, see what we can do. In the mean time, head to the armory. I want all of you armed." He paused for a moment, thinking.

The automated air defenses were probably offline, too.

"Clemenzi," he continued, "requisition an STA 'launcher, as well."

The otter saluted.

"Oh _shit_!" Someone yelled.

The area went quiet, and Tom located the speaker, a cat standing by an open outside door.

He looked, to Reilly's unease, terrified.

"Venomian fighters inbound!" He screamed, voice cracking.

In the moment of deathly silence immediately following his words, Reilly heard the ominous, high-pitched whine of super-heated plasma, and it was growing louder very quickly. All hell broke loose.

"Someone get a fucking missile up here!" The cat screamed, wavering back and forth on the threshold, as if deciding whether he should run or not. Clemenzi made for the armory, but Reilly knew there wasn't time.

"Everyone down!" He barked, throwing himself to the floor and dragging Allens with him. He saw the rest of his squad hit the ground and find cover beneath something, even as most of the other soldiers rushed for the doors. Reilly felt a rush of approval, that they followed his orders so implicitly despite hardly knowing him.

Then there was an explosive roar as the lasers hit, and the ceiling collapsed.

* * *

With his rifle clean and loaded, armor secure and partner ready, Jim Gale should've felt prepared. But, due to his dead radio, flickering lights, and a motion sensor that only sometimes picked up the man three feet away, he didn't really feel prepared at all.

There was something going on outside, that much was obvious.

And Jim had a sinking suspicion it had something to do with what was behind the very door he guarded. Venom was the only thing that came to mind when a Zonessian thought of trouble, and only they were capable of a planet-wide threat, like this had to be. Everyone knew the Venomians were greedy little bastards, too, and the technology in this lab probably had them drooling.

Craig, his partner, agreed, and was far too vocal about it for Jim's taste.

"Ya think we're gonna get attacked here?" Craig chattered, bouncing his rifle in his hands. "I mean, I guess there're other ways they could go in, I guess, like through a tunnel, or something, but this is easier, comin' right in the front door, right? All they'd have to do was take us and the two up ahead out, and they'd be in."

"Great thought," Jim muttered sourly, "thanks for sharing." He hated being partnered with the rookies for guard duty. Just because no one on Zoness had ever even thought about breaking into a military facility didn't mean they should leave morons on the door. He'd lived through the Lylat War, survived Zoness's bombings, and now he was stuck staring at a wall all day.

Great.

He wondered how Diane was doing. The baby was due soon, and he really wanted to be there for her when the time came. He'd always wondered what it'd be like to be a father, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. But he was excited, too. It would certainly be a new experience.

Beside him, Craig paused for breath and cough sharply, a harsh, wet noise that sounded like he really needed to clear his throat. Jim paused, frowning.

It sounded really nasty, actually.

He turned to look at his partner and tell him so, and froze as his gaze met a trio of crimson orbs, protruding from a faceless mask.

"Boo," the figure said, its voice electronically muffled, and Jim just had time to wonder what Diane would name his son before he died.

* * *

The black-clad figure wiped his knife on the dead guard's jacket before sheathing the deadly blade, his red-glowing goggles dimming as he faded back into the shadows.

"'Boo'? Really, Talon?"

Talon grunted. "Shut up, Seer. Get down here and open this door."

Another dark suited figure slid to the floor, her slender form moving soundlessly to the security door that led deeper into the complex. She pulled a small device from her belt, attaching it to the door panel with a quiet click. Her fingers flew across the tiny keypad, the rapid-fire typing echoing through the silent hall. There was a heavy _shhick_ sound, and the door pad beeped once, indicator light switching to green.

"We're in," Seer said, detaching the device and dropping it back into a pouch.

"Let's go," Sin ordered, dropping through the hole in the ceiling where a tile had previously sat, Kestrel right behind him. "Silence from here on in. We're getting in and out fast; pick your targets, but avoid detection if at all possible. You know the drill. They're blind and scared."

Kestrel slotted a pair of fresh batteries into her pistols, rolling her shoulders to check the stability of the precision rifle holstered on her back. _Easy prey, then_, she signed, her fingers flicking gracefully in the intricate sign language they all knew.

_Don't get cocky,_ Sin warned, his gestures sharp and authoritative. _Let's get a move on. You know what to look for._ Acknowledgements were signaled all around, and Seer took the lead, the lynx's sub-machine gun held loosely at her side as she crept along, sticking to the shadows.

The Omen's discharges were playing hell with the base's electronics systems, including lighting; an added bonus. They were really only supposed to affect the coms and radar.

They made their way quietly through the base, dodging from shadow to shadow, skirting the flickering lights. It was almost too easy; there were few personnel in the base to begin with, and many had rushed outside to help fend off the 'invasion', leaving the place almost completely undefended.

It would be foolish to assume they were _all_ gone, though.

Turned out that was a correct statement, as the squad soon came across a third security checkpoint. Seer held up a fist, then crept forward slowly, ghosting along the wall to take a closer look around the corner.

There were four Zonessians inside, all armed. One sat at a computer desk, jabbing in frustration at the keyboard. Two was pacing nervously, a too-tight grip on his rifle. Three and Four were seated in opposite corners of the room, Four drumming his fingers along the barrel of his weapon.

They were nervous, and oblivious.

And dead.

_Four,_ Seer signed, indicating the general areas of their targets. Acknowledgements were signaled, and they moved up to join Seer, muscles rippling with pent-up energy.

This was, after all, one of the perks of the job.

_Engage_, Sin flicked, and the squad burst into action.

Seer rolled around the corner, loosing a short, quiet burst into One's throat and face, toppling him over backward. Just as she released the trigger Kestrel appeared in her vision, turning a graceful somersault around the lynx and placing a pistol shot squarely in Two's nose. Sin's rifle coughed sharply as Talon slid past on his knees, a knife leaving his hand in a flicker of motion. Each operative's motions were exactly timed, perfectly synced with the rest of the squad.

One moment, one shot, two bursts, and a knife later, the four guards were dead.

They held their positions, scanning the room carefully until Seer flashed the all-clear, lowering her weapon.

_Neat_, Kestrel commented, unconsciously checking the action of her pistol, _your throw's a bit off, Talon_.

The eagle stalked over to his kill, grunting softly at the knife buried to the hilt in the base of the guard's throat. _Just a little._

_Keep moving_, Sin signed, _we're nearly there._

There was another security door at the far end of the room. Seer got to work on it, casually spinning the corpse out of the chair by the computer and dropping into it herself. The keys clacked loudly as she typed, and after a moment she spoke softly, her hands occupied.

"Lab section starts here," she murmured, "we've just been going through the military's area up until now. The research is all being done down below."

_It's an elevator?_ Sin asked.

She nodded.

_Alright. Once we get down there, lock it down behind us. From now on, it's weapons free, search and destroy. No one who knows anything about Purity gets out of there alive._

Eradication was not usually the sort of thing their squad was deployed for. Infiltration and assassination were most typical, with standing orders to minimize casualties. Someone really didn't want information about this project leaking out. The elevator door hissed open and Seer stood from her chair, slipping her hand into the odd grip of her SMG.

_Care for a competition? _Talon signed to Kestrel, _who can get the most?_

Kestrel's gestures were hard and flat. _I'll pass._

Slaughtering civilians might not be pleasant, but they'd get the job done.

That was what they did.

They filed into the elevator silently, Sin and Seer on either side of the door, with Kestrel and Talon crouching behind them. The door closed, and the elevator slid smoothly down. They were silent throughout the ride, each running over their gear and tactics for this sort of thing in their minds, as they'd been taught. It wouldn't do to be caught in the middle of a firefight with one less grenade than you thought you had. Just one of the many words of wisdom they had floating around.

They'd all learned from the best, after all.

The elevator pinged. Sin flicked a quick _Shoot straight and run fast_, and then the door opened.

A man stood before them, a cup of coffee at his lips and his hand on the call button. The dog's large ears flopped comically as he froze, eyes widening. Beyond him, a dozen or so people stood in similar lab and casual attire, their attention turning to the elevator, and five security personnel arrayed around the large reception area.

The dog opened his mouth, and then his head snapped back as Kestrel put a round between his eyes.

The team exploded into motion.

Sin grabbed the dead dog and hurled him into the nearest guard, staggering him long enough for the panther to riddle him with fire as he sprinted past. Seer's flash grenade went off a moment later, the effects negated by the team's filtered goggles. Talon dashed for cover, hip firing his slung rifle in some semblance of controlled bursts.

Their teacher would've had a fit.

Kestrel calmly raised her pistols, blasting two security guards at once. Each of her weapons chose targets independently in an astounding display of dexterity and coordination.

The reception area was in utter chaos. Blinded civilians stumbled over each other, slipping in the expanding pools of blood from the security guards.

Without a moment's hesitation, the team opened up on them. Brutally efficient, each of their shots found a mark in unarmored flesh. Sin, Talon, and Seer all loosed controlled bursts, ending a life with each emotionless squeeze of the trigger. Kestrel's pistols were taking them two at a time, her mouth set in a hard line behind her obscuring mask.

Within too short a time, it was just the four of them left alive in the entrance hall, with only the whining alarms making noise. Sin and Seer reloaded while Talon and Kestrel covered them, sheltering by the reception desk. None of them so much as glanced at the corpses littering the floor. They switched positions, Sin checking the entrances while Seer busied herself locking the elevator down, and the other two switched batteries. Their movements were precise, made fluid by hours upon hours of practice together.

When everyone was loaded and prepared, Sin flicked a new set of commands. _Let's move. You know what we're looking for._ Seer bobbed her head, tapping a final key on her datapad and unplugging it from the interface on the elevator's security panel. She racked the charging handle on her weapon, the SMG whirring with the influx of energy from the fresh battery.

There was one central hallway out of the reception area, with two side paths farther down. It was fortunate military facilities, particularly underground ones, were so expensive; it would've been much harder to clear if it were larger. They split at the fork, parting ways with encouraging nods all around; Sin and Seer took the left, while Kestrel and Talon headed down the right.

It was physically simple work, cleaning rooms and shattering experiments with bursts of gunfire, and almost boring in its repetition. Seer slid another door open, her SMG leading the way with Sin aiming over the slender lynx's head.

Inside was what was quickly becoming the common setup: a small room, a few chairs, two computers, a desk, and a table with varying contents. This one happened to have what appeared to be a small sheathed blade, probably about a foot from tip to pommel, in a glass box with all sorts of wires protruding from it.

Seer registered motion out of the corner of her eye and spun, pivoting smoothly on her heel to dodge the incoming frog's desperate clubbing attempt with the heavy chair he brandished. The lynx continued her spin, driving her elbow into the back of his fleshy neck with a sickening crunch as the amphibian stumbled past. He dropped like a rock, but Seer planted a burst in his spine, just to be sure.

_Sloppy,_ Sin scolded, _but acceptable._

Seer rolled her eyes.

You would think _he_ was the one they'd learned everything from.

She moved on, dropping a mostly-spent battery into a pouch and slotting in a fresh one. The lynx suddenly became aware of rapid, panicked breathing, which cut off in a sharp gasp as she approached the desk.

Just as she moved forward, she was interrupted by a series of short clicks across their squad transmitters, causing both herself and Sin to pause as they unconsciously translated the message.

_Section clear. Package secure. We recall to box._

Seer let out a quiet, amused snort, and Sin shook his head. Talon really needed to work on his code, particularly the tenses. Nevertheless, it seemed as if they were done here, as they were returning to the _elevator_.

With a small sigh, Sin strode around the desk, looking down into the small space for the chair. A woman screamed, her voice cracking and terrified. "Ohmigod, please don't, PLEASE I HAVE A-"

Sin cut her off with a sharp burst, silencing her forever.

Blood began to leak from underneath the desk.

His head jerked up a moment later, startled, as Seer used the stock of her weapon to shatter the glass around the blade on the table. _Forget it,_ he commanded, hefting his rifle up with a single hand, _we're going. Leave whatever that is._

Seer ignored him, clearing the broken glass away and picking it up by the hilt, letting her SMG fall to her side and hang in its sling. She pulled the scabbard away slowly, examining the fine metal edge appreciatively.

What was so special about it, though?

After a bit of searching, Seer spotted a tiny button near the top of the hilt and thumbed it on. A shimmering field sprang to life around the blade with a crackling hiss, sheathing the weapon in a deadly looking shroud. With a blink, Seer tested the weapon, letting it ghost over the side of the computer. The plastic of the machine melted and warped from the slightest touch, and the electronics within fried almost instantly.

_A disruption field,_ Sin motioned wonderingly, _how did they manage that?_

Seer shrugged. _Don't know. But it's mine now._ With a triumphant smirk that Sin could picture through her mask, the lynx deactivated her new weapon and sheathed it, attaching it to the back of her belt.

_Whatever, _Sin flicked impatiently, _let's move, soldier. I'll have you deactivate the air systems once we're above ground, just to be sure._

Seer nodded stiffly, readying her SMG and following him out the door.

Once back in the hallway, they had a second of warning, in the form of running feet, to flatten themselves against the wall, before a pair of security guards, probably the last living in the facility, rounded the corner and very nearly ran past them before the one on the left caught the reflection of Seer's dimmed goggles. He let out a cry of alarm, startling his comrade.

Their guns came up, and Sin and Seer leapt forward.

Sin batted away one's rifle, sending his shots spraying high. He followed up by stabbing the barrel of his own rifle hard into the Zonessian's neck, crushing his throat. As the doomed guard staggered back, reaching up to clasp his destroyed throat, Sin fired, obliterating hands and neck in one burst.

Seer spun up close inside her opponent's guard, jerking his rifle around and shattering his fingers caught in the trigger guard. He howled in pain, trying to bludgeon the elusive lynx with his heavy gun, but she ducked under his strike, spraying a quartet of shots under her arm from her SMG into his chest. The two corpses hit the ground within seconds of each other, and the black figures were already moving.

They encountered no further resistance on their silent rush back, leaping easily over the corpses of the fallen as they went. Talon and Kestrel melted into sight as Sin and Seer entered the reception area, stepping out of the shadows. Talon dragged with him a large, heavy looking crate on a hoversled.

Their target.

Somehow, the black, electronically locked box didn't seem as intimidating as it should. Seer immediately went to the elevator, her datapad already out and fingers flying across the keys.

Sin blinked as a message scrawled across his goggles in dark red text, giving it his full attention.

Only one person had this channel.

_There's been a change of plan. A shuttle will meet you at the assigned location, as before. However, once you've given them the package, they'll transport you to your next target. An old friend of yours. A detachment of my soldiers has already been sent to intercept. Finish what they start, but I want her and the child with her alive. No one else makes it out. Let's see if the students have surpassed the master._

_Don't fail me. _

As soon as he finished reading, the text vanished from Sin's display. It didn't matter, though; one read was sufficient to memorize.

A cold knot settled in his stomach for the first time a great many months.

He knew who they were about to face down.

Still, he knew his team was capable. They had never failed to accomplish their objective, and the one who taught them how to win would not be the one to end their streak.

_We have a new target,_ Sin signed, drawing his squad's attention. _We've got to impress, this time._

By any means necessary.

* * *

The automated door whirred open with a soft hiss, admitting Gage to the bridge's conference room. It was a unique feature; generally speaking, conference rooms were on a separate deck, not connected directly to the command center. This was more convenient, though.

Lieutenant Kerrigan was on her feet the second he entered, already striding towards him and extending her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you in person, captain." Her voice was crisp and sharp, and her grip was firm. "I'm looking forward to working with you."

The lynx's features were sharp and well-defined with not a hair out of place, and her dark blue eyes held a spark that signaled she was not to be trifled with. Her uniform was crisp and fresh, and she even had a pistol belted at her waist, an unusual affectation for a commissioned officer. It was a heavy one, too; a Titan Arms VX-001 Hand Cannon. Not a weapon to be used lightly, or for anything besides punching head sized holes in everything short of hull plating.

"Likewise, Lieutenant," Gage said, releasing her hand, "I've heard a lot about you."

"All positive, I imagine," she replied, motioning him to a seat at the long wooden table, "I could say the same to you. Some of your exploits are..._fascinating_."

Gage frowned slightly. A _lieutenant_ had security clearance high enough to access Dagger files? That was unheard of, to him, at least. "I get the job done."

"Indeed you do," Kerrigan said with a sharp nod, "which is why you were requested. I hope you can do the same magic here."

Captain Reines entered at that moment, the raven pouring distractedly over a datapad as the door slid closed behind him. With a small sigh, he switched the device off and slipped it into a pocket, returning Kerrigan's and Gage's salutes. "At ease," he said, moving around the table, "Captain McCloud should be joining us at any moment."

Sure enough, moments later a hologram of Fox shimmered to life in one of the chairs, mirroring the mercenary on his own bridge seat. He looked tired.

"Gentlemen, lady," Reines said, "let's cut to the chase. We have a single _Titan_-class warship, three _Thunder_-class destroyers, a _Dreadnaught_ cruiser" he nodded at Fox "and half a dozen fighter squadrons." He stared around at them.

"We're outmatched. It's possible we could handle the _Firestorm, _were it alone, but it's at the head of a small flotilla. If this encounter degenerates into a firefight, we'll lose. I doubt we'll get any help from Zoness."

He paused a moment, letting everything sink in.

Gage grimaced. They should have had the _Sentinel_, at least, to accompany them. It was just plain stupid to send out such a small force against what they _knew_ was an extremely formidable foe. Fortunately, their objective was not to annihilate the Venomians, it was to _assess_.

Assess.

Assess the battle fleet that would almost certainly open fire the second they were spotted.

Perhaps if they were slaughtered, that would be enough of an assessment for Corneria to commit to this?

"Therefore," Reines continued, "I'm going to do my absolute best to not let it reach that stage. Our mission is to assess the situation, and that's what we'll do. If that means counting how many ships Venom has and then jumping out before their guns turn on us, then that's what we'll do. We can come back once we have the firepower to do so."

He turned to Gage. "I want your team prepped and ready to go at a moment's notice. Stay on a shuttle in the hangar bay; if the opportunity presents itself, you'll be going planetside, as unobtrusively as possible. No communication; you're dead if they pick up the transmissions. Gather as much intel as you can; what the Venomians are doing down there, whatever you can. I doubt their commander will be so forthcoming with that information. Keep that secure, and try and locate some Zonessian officers. I'm sure they'll be glad for your help."

Gage nodded.

"Fox." Reines turned to the hologram of the _Great Fox's _commander. "I need you to keep the _Great Fox_ back a bit. Skulk around behind the rest of the fleet, out of sight. I'll have one of my experts try and temporarily rewrite your IFF code."

Fox frowned slightly, his image rippling. "What for?"

Kerrigan spoke up. "After what you did to them last time, I would guess that they're either terrified of you or hate you. Probably a little of both, but neither is good for negotiating. I would guess they'll be more likely to just open up on us if we parade in with the _Great Fox_ heading the fleet."

Reines nodded approvingly. "Exactly. It's just one less thing to risk."

The intercom clicked, and the voice of Reines's ensign filtered into the room. "Dropping out of hyperspace in five minutes, sir."

"Thank you, Hawkings," the captain replied, glancing at Gage.

Dagger's leader stood. "My team'll be ready when you need us, captain."

"I know you will. Get to it."

Gage snapped a quick salute to Reines and his lieutenant before exiting the room. He heard the raven say "Now, Captain McCloud, if it comes down to a firefight-" before the door slid shut behind him.

Getting down to the planet's surface undetected would be tricky. The _Firestorm_ almost certainly had top of the line scanners and detection equipment. Maybe if a large number of starfighters were launched, they'd be able to slip in. They'd have to play it by ear. Gage slipped his hand into the pocket of his jacket and drew out the small headpiece Anaiya had given him.

Minus, of course, the bugs she'd planted on it, and on the rest of his team's items. She hadn't even really tried much to hide them, as if she knew he'd look and find them anyway.

Solid assumption.

With a tiny sigh, Gage hooked the device around his ear, activating it with a touch. The blue lens whirred and slid into place over his eye. With another touch, his com connected him to Ley's. He'd been a bit leery of the neural interface portion of this, and so had held off on the chips until he could do a bit more research on the topic. Using the keypads was a bit slower and more obvious, but it got the job done.

"Ley, get Penick and suit up. I'll be down soon. We'll head to the shuttle bay; we might be doing a bit of sneaking around down on the surface, if we get the go-ahead."

"Gotcha, boss" came the leopardess's crisp response. "Heavy or light?"

Gage shrugged, even though she couldn't see him. "Surprise me."

He could hear the grin in Ley's voice when she answered. "That's what I like to hear. See you in a few."

"Don't go overboard. Gage out."

One tap on the keypad disconnected his link to Ley. Handy little devices. With a few more clicks, Gage brought up something Anaiya had most likely not intended him to use when she gave him these.

A planetary grid, which displayed the location of the bug he had planted on the vixen in question. A small blip, the tracking device, was moving slowly down to the planet's surface, pulsing brightly with each movement.

So, they weren't that far behind her. She hadn't made planetfall yet. But what was it she was after? There was no doubt in Gage's mind that it had something to do with why the _Firestorm_ was here. If this was as simple as another invasion of the Lylat system, odd as that sounded, Venom had to have more power at their disposal than this handful of ships. No one would bet everything on a single ship taking on the entire Cornerian Navy, not even a ship like the _Firestorm._ If it was going to be a multi-pronged assault, other planets would have been hit by now.

What was going on, then?

Gage stepped into the bridge elevator, his thumb tracing the grip of his holstered sidearm slowly.

Whatever it was, that woman was more trouble than she was worth.

* * *

"This is Captain Reines to all ships," said the holographic image of the dark raven, standing straight with his hands folded behind him, "we will be emerging from hyperspace in thirty seconds. You all have your orders; we fire on my command _only_. We'll see if Venom's a bit more reasonable this time around."

Scar snorted, pacing around behind Fox's command chair. "Yeah, _that's_ likely."

Fox was inclined to agree with him. After all they'd seen from Andross, and the unprovoked attack on Zoness, they didn't seem to be out to make friends.

"Well, there's no harm in trying, right?" Jerhyn pointed out, "it's not like we lose anything by talking to them."

"Except now," Fox said, "we're being reactive instead of proactive. If it's a fight they want, they'll get the first shots off. And with a ship like the one they've got, that's a pretty hefty advantage."

Jerhyn looked slightly crestfallen, his theory shot to pieces.

"Exiting hyperspace in five, four, three, two, one..."

"Here goes," Fox muttered, drumming his fingers nervously along the arm of his chair. Scar muttered something incomprehensible behind him.

And then they exited hyperspace above Zoness.

The _Ocean's Pearl, _one of Zoness's capital ships, listed slowly in orbit, its burned-out hull dark and powerless. Great rips and tears dotted the metal, and the holes that led from one side of the vessel to the other were a grim indicator of the crew's fate. Fragments of the great ship, along with shattered starfighters, were scattered through the void of space, creating a miniature asteroid field around Zoness.

And there, hovering over the defender's remains like some smug predator, hung the _Firestorm_.

It was the largest vessel Fox had ever seen; the monstrous thing had to be a good four kilometers long, nearly twice the size of the _Raven's Flight_. Its sleek black hull positively bristled with laser turrets, missile batteries, and orbital cannons. Probably a dozen launch bays were spaced along the hull, their crimson atmospheric shields adding to the sinister visage of the black ship. It bore its share of battle scars, records of previous victories permanently inscribed on the dark metal of its hull. Strangely, there were no other Venomian ships in the area; only the _Firestorm _pulsed threateningly on the radar. Had they withdrawn, after crushing Zonessian resistance? Fox neither knew nor cared, so long as they were gone; they had a real chance against that monster ship now.

His com readout blinked, and the holoprojector primed itself. A fleet-wide transmission, complete with holograms. Aurian was trying to show up Reines in front of his forces, maybe? Undermine his leadership a bit?

Fox accepted the transmission with a click of the keypad, and Reines' image was joined by the Venomian commander.

Aurian's crackling hologram was clothed in a robe of the Venomian black and red, a concealing drape that shrouded all but a vague outline of his body. The Venomian commander's face was obscured as well; a flat, featureless bone-white mask with glaring, slanted electronic eye slots that gleamed crimson. There were no mouth, nose, or ear holes. It was impossible to even decipher what species Aurian belonged to.

"A remarkably quick response, Commander," Aurian said, his voice harsh and grating through the artificial projection. "But it will avail you little."

"Commander Aurian." Reines' voice was smooth and calm. "This is Captain Reines of the _Raven's Flight._ As I'm sure you're aware, you've just committed an act of war against Zoness, and by extension Corneria. Withdraw Venom's forces now, and there is still a chance for us to resolve this without any more bloodshed."

"He's either care_less_ with his words or very care_ful_," Scar commented. "He's making it sound like Aurian's just borrowing the ship."

"There is no Venom any longer, _Captain_," Aurian said dismissively, "that nation was shattered years ago, as I'm _sure_ you're aware. I act independently."

Reines was unfazed, but Fox blinked, and Scar muttered something in confusion behind him. Aurian couldn't really believe they'd buy that, could he? That everything they'd heard and learned was wrong, and he was really just doing it for his own gains?

"You'll forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical," Reines replied smoothly. "My offer stands."

"An interesting proposal, Captain," Aurian prodded, his red eyepieces glinting, "and how, precisely, do you expect to offer me a bloodless alternative? Perhaps I have already slaughtered much of this planet's population. What would happen then?"

"Have you?" Reines challenged.

"Perhaps. Send a shuttle down to investigate."

"I'd rather not lose any of my people when you shoot it down, thanks."

Aurian tilted his head slightly. "You think I would resort to such trickery?"

"From what I've heard, yes, I think you would."

"You wound me." He did not sound hurt in the least, or even terribly interested in the conversation.

"An answer, Commander," Reines pressed, a hard edge in his voice. "We're wasting time."

"Oh no, Captain," Aurian disagreed with a harsh chuckle. "If there is one thing we have in spades, it is time. For now, at least."

"That sounds..." Scar began.

"Awfully ominous," Fox agreed.

"I disagree," Reines said sharply, "decide."

"Do you see this ship, Captain?" Aurian said suddenly, switching topics. "Such a masterpiece of technology, it is. Take particular note of the Godhammer-pattern laser batteries on the aft deck." There was a note of pride in his voice as he described the assets of his dreaded _Firestorm_. "Very adept at taking down shields, and then, of course, the vessel beneath. Imagine how many of your ships have perished before my cannons."

"I don't-"

"Seventy-seven," Aurian snarled, all traces of good humor gone. "Seventy-seven I personally cut down. One by one, in clusters, in squadrons, in entire flotillas. Recall, _boy_, the incident your history books refer to as the Shanxi Harbor Massacre. I doubt you were out of flight school at the time."

"Oh, God," Jerhyn muttered.

Fox remembered hearing about that disaster. Shanxi had been a shipyard orbiting Macbeth. One of the galaxy's largest and most productive harbors, it supplied all of the planets with vessels and equipment, though its monopoly was a source of much contention. When the Lylat War broke out, Shanxi was heavily fortified; losing such a valuable starport to the enemy would be a catastrophic loss.

Fleet Commander Aurian, fresh from his victory at Zoness, had arrived and destroyed the starport within a day.

A single cruiser managed to limp away to Katina with the news. The hundreds of thousands of civilians, port workers, and soldiers stationed there were gone, blasted to nothing.

Exactly how he had done it had never really been confirmed; there had been too much confusion at the time, the Cornerians reeling from Venom's devastating attacks, and no one had been particularly interested in learning how and why it was gone, only that it was. Fleet deployment had gotten quite a bit stricter, after that.

"I know the incident" was all Reines said, his tone cool.

"What a good student. Then you are aware that I would hardly have to exert myself to decimate your pitiful fleet?"

"Why are you stalling?" Reines asked abruptly.

Fox blinked as the realization that that was _exactly_ what Aurian was doing hit him, and Scar cursed.

Aurian's hologram tilted its head slightly, and Fox would have bet quite a bit that he was smiling unpleasantly beneath his skull mask.

* * *

Gage and his team were in the dropship, ready and waiting for the green light. Ley was chatting animatedly, waving an arm while Penick's huge chest rumbling with laughter. Their weapons were secure in the racks above them, safe from any bouncing around mid-flight.

They were completely blind down here. They had no idea what was going on between the two ships, and wouldn't until they either launched or felt the impact of laserfire.

With a sigh, Gage brought up the planetary grid again, then frowned at it.

Anaiya was moving away from the surface, back up into space.

And she was heading right for the _Firestorm_.

* * *

"Why are you stalling?"

He hadn't seen it at first. He'd thought Aurian was simply trying to bait him, but he was waiting for something to happen. Why he didn't want to risk opening fire, Reines didn't know, but he was glad for the respite, however long it lasted.

Kerrigan prowled the deck behind him, hands folded behind her.

"Sir," Hawkings said urgently, "there's a vessel coming up from the surface. It's headed for the _Firestorm_."

And, that was it. Whatever was on that ship was the reason the Venomians were here.

Reines smiled at Aurian's hologram. "Is that ship important to you?" He asked pleasantly.

Aurian's lenses flickered, the game up. "The cargo is invaluable."

"To who?"

"To me."

And that was what Reines needed to hear. "Prime all batteries," he ordered, "target that ship." The captain looked back at Aurian. "Turn around and leave, Commander, or I'll blow your invaluable cargo out of the sky."

Aurian stared at him silently for a moment, and Reines almost smiled at him. "So you have chosen," the Venomian commander said, his voice cold and hard, "and so shall it be."

Reines did not like the sound of that, not one bit.

"What do you mean?" He demanded.

But Aurian shook his head, crimson eyes gleaming. "Once choice is made," he said cryptically, "the rest is mere consequence."

The hologram crackled once, then died.

"All guns," Reines snapped, as the _Firestorm_ began to move, "open fire. Eliminate that ship."

"Cruiser emerging from the _Firestorm_," Hawkings reported, "on intercept course for the shuttle. She's moving _fast_, sir."

And indeed she was. The new cruiser sped out from under the ponderous _Firestorm_ even as the _Raven's Flight_ opened up, a torrent of lasers and missiles streaking out towards the small shuttle as it raced towards the _Firestorm_.

"Energy buildup from the _Firestorm_," Swan reported from the weapons console, "she's charging weapons, sir."

"All ships," Reines said, opening the fleet-wide transmission, "concentrate all batteries on the _Firestorm._ Give that monster something to think about. Hawkings, what's that cruiser doing?"

The ensign paused a moment, double-checking his readouts. "...It's pulling up alongside the shuttle, sir, and holding course with it."

"It's screening the shuttle," Kerrigan said suddenly, "Aurian's sacrificing that ship to make sure whatever's on that shuttle makes it in safe."

And she was right, Reines saw, as the salvo of deadly projectiles from the _Raven's Flight_ slammed into the cruiser, its shields dying in an instant and hull decompressing a second before the remaining rounds tore it to shreds. T

he shuttle sped past the wreckage, docking safely with the _Firestorm,_ and Reines bit back a curse.

"Sir!" Swan said urgently, "weapons discharge from the _Firestorm_!"

And, sure enough, it was.

Through the hail of lasers, plasma and missiles pounding ineffectively against its shields, the _Firestorm's _orbital cannon batteries fired.

Eight enormous lances of crimson energy blazed through space, impacting in quick succession against one of the _Thunder-_class ships in Reines' fleet. The first two shots buckled the cruiser's shields, the third tore them to shreds, and the last five blasted clean through the vessel, gutting it stem to stern.

The impaled vessel was visible for a moment, venting atmosphere and bleeding plasma into the void, before the ruptured warp drives blew, causing a massive explosion that swallowed the remnants of the cruiser and pounded the shields of the two nearby vessels.

Five seconds, and the _Firestorm_ had annihilated one of their cruisers already.

"Report!" Reines snarled.

Hawkings looked up from his console, sweating. "_Wings of Liberty _is gone, sir. Down with all hands."

Kerrigan cursed under her breath.

They were outmatched, like he knew they would be. They had done their assessment. It was time to withdraw.

"All ships," Reines commanded, "prepare to jump away from Zoness on my mark, rendezvous point alpha."

The barrage of weapons continued to hammer the _Firestorm_, but its shields showed no signs of failing. The orbital cannons began to glow again.

"_Firestorm's_ recharging weapons, Captain," Swan warned.

"Hawkings," Reines said, not taking his eyes from the buildup of crimson energy on screen.

"Jump solution locked, sir."

"All ships; mark."

The orbital cannons fired again.

* * *

General Pepper exhaled heavily through his nose, rubbing his temple with his free hand. The other hand drummed a tattoo on his desk as the aged hound stared at the data on his screen.

The _Firestorm_ was truly back, then, and just as devastating as ever.

"So you see, General," the man across from him continued smoothly, "there really is no better time to use them. There can't be a truer test than this. It would be the perfect way to prove to you their effectiveness."

Pepper looked up, meeting the steely gray eyes of Colonel Strathmore as the wolf leaned forward, expression showing barely repressed eagerness. "Just give me a chance," the colonel pressed, "and you won't be disappointed. What do you have to lose? If we fail, you're right about them, and the project is a waste. If we succeed, you know for certain how valuable my soldiers are, and you've lost a powerful enemy in the bargain. It's a-"

Pepper held up a weary hand. "Enough, Strathmore." The general sighed again. "You've made your point. You know how I dislike these..." He paused, expression distasteful, "..._mind assassins_, of yours, but you'll have your chance. You have permission to assign as many agents you decide are necessary to eliminate Fleet Commander Aurian."

Pepper held the wolf's gaze, eyes hard. "He will not destroy this system again, colonel. Make sure of it."

Strathmore saluted crisply, lips twisting in a smile. "Don't worry, general. They are Callidus. They do not fail."

* * *

Callidus is Latin for 'cunning'. Next chapter up soon. How many times have you heard that one?


	17. Chapter Fourteen: Prescience

An update within a year? Half a year? A _month?_

Mind=blown.

And it's not 'pre-science.' It's 'pres-cience.' Get it?

And I hate stupid OpenOffice and it not letting me keep my format when I upload chapters. Makes me put all my spaces and line breaks in by hand, again.

Ffffuuu.

Excuse any I miss.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya is mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc.

Chapter Fourteen: Prescience

- Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.

**Niccolo Machiavelli**

**

* * *

**

"Mommy?"

A cascade of emotions flooded through Anaiya at the sound of Taim's timid, hopeful voice. Elation, relief, and sadness, all rolled into one moment that made her heart ache.

She missed him so much.

"Hey, kid," she said, smiling, "it's me."

She heard a soft giggle of joy, which was swiftly cut off as her son asked, quite seriously, "What's the best weapon for any situation?"

Anaiya grinned proudly. He remembered to verify who he was talking to. Good kid. "The one nobody expects."

Taim almost squealed with delight. "Hi, mom!"

"Hi, Tye. You doing okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, me and Selena...er, Selena and I just went down to the basement. It's still really cold down here. I wish we could turn the heat up, but I found a blanket, so it's alright. Are you coming down soon?"

Anaiya righted her listing ship, distracted as she had been by her son's voice. "Yep. With all the bad guys flying around here, it's not too safe. I'm going to come stay with you for a bit, and then we're going to visit another planet. We'll go and do all sorts of stuff together. Sound like a plan?"

"You're going to take me on a trip with you?" Taim asked, his voice almost incredulous, "_really?"_

"You bet, as soon as we get a chance to leave here."

She could sense Taim grinning ear-to-ear through the phone. "Oh, awesome! We're going to have such a great time, and you can show me all the cool stuff you can do! Can we go on an, an _adventure, _or something? Maybe to see Corneria? I can't wait-"

Then Taim paused, silent for a moment. "I really just…I can't wait to see you, Mom." His voice was notably quieter, as though he wanted to hold back his next question.

"Are you almost here?"

Anaiya felt a pang in her chest. A child shouldn't be this excited to see his mother. It should be a regular, everyday occurrence. Now she felt worse. "I can't wait to see you either, hon. I'll be there soon, don't worry. Now, could you tell Selena to-" Something rippled through the air, like an invisible shock wave, and the com died. So did the _Nemesis_'s power. The console glow dimmed, the lights went out, the engines whined, sputtering into silence, and the ship plummeted.

* * *

Selena checked the charge on her assault rifle's battery yet again, her sweaty palms slipping slightly on the weapon's grip.

This was not part of her job description.

She and the kid were safe in the bunker, and she sent up her prayers yet again to that crazy vixen for being paranoid enough to have something like this constructed.

And then she cursed the damn fool woman yet again for getting her into this mess. She just had to go and piss everyone off, didn't she? Ever since their time in the Black Vipers, Anaiya had always been going and getting on the wrong people's bad side. It was a bad way to go through life.

Or a short way.

Well, she'd always had that woman's back, and Anaiya had always had hers, even when the grenade during the Retributors' raid on the Vipers had crippled her. She wasn't going to back out now and leave Taim hanging. The little brat had grown on her. And it was a bit late to try and leave anyway, since they were already in what was probably one of the safest places on the planet, at the moment.

"And- Mom? Mom? Are you there?"

Selena's head swung around, glancing at Taim as he jabbed uselessly at the com system's power button.

Not an instant later, the lights and security devices went dark, plunging them into blackness. It was unnaturally quiet, without the ever-constant hum of machinery. Taim seemed shocked into silence for a moment, then he stepped closer to Selena's metal leg as the red emergency lights on the backup generator powered up. Too bad that generator wasn't powerful enough to power the entire bunker. Just bare lighting and the doors.

"Selena?" Taim was poking her in the side, looking up at her nervously. His bright green eyes gleamed darkly, reflecting the crimson lights. "What's happening?"

There was a thump overhead, and a slight jolt in the floor, which immediately gained Selena's full attention.

One did not have _slight jolts_ in solid, reinforced bunkers.

Something was happening. And it was not good. The proximity alarm, also powered by the backup generator, began to blare.

"Nothing good, Taim," Selena whispered back, "nothing good."

She was proud that her fingers trembled barely at all as she ejected the battery from her assault rifle and checked the power charge. She was ex-mercenary by over five years, for God's sake. She shouldn't be doing crap like this. There was another thump, and Taim's grip around her leg tightened. He was a tough kid, but this was way, _way_ out of his norm.

"Help me move this cabinet," she instructed him, "and pray that your mom gets here soon."

* * *

Anaiya flicked the unresponsive controls, then started jabbing buttons and commands into her dead dashboard.

The _Nemesis_ continued to fall.

Not good.

The vixen initiated a system restart with a few hurried clicks, glancing worriedly out the canopy as the rain-streaked sky flashed past.

Any second now. The glow lights on her control console flickered back to life, but not a whisper escaped her dark engines.

"Come on," Anaiya growled, jerking the controls, "come _on, _don't fail me now."

She probably had only seconds, half a dozen at most, before she struck the ground in a crunch of metal, an ignoble end if ever there was one. With a snarl of helpless rage, Anaiya pounded a fist on the dashboard, and the engines ignited. Her breath whooshed out in relief and her hands flew back to the control stick, jerking the _Nemesis_'s nose back up and rocketing forward. Her elevation rangefinder started blaring warnings at her, ever-so expediently letting her know she was way too close to the ground.

Anaiya rubbed her temples wearily.

What the hell _was_ that, anyway? An EMP wave?

The vixen reached out and jabbed at the communications, trying to reestablish a line to Taim.

The indicator lights remained dark, and the com channel dead. Radar was out, too, as were a number of her other systems. So that was Raaze's new trick. Had to be. But how did it work, exactly?

No matter. She had to get to Taim, and fast.

It was quite a coincidence for that to be fired right as she was approaching him, and Anaiya did not believe in coincidences.

She gunned the engines, and the _Nemesis_ rocketed forward. The vixen kept her ship low, despite the pounding rain; with her radar gone, she'd have to locate the house visually. Which was a problem, because if she was going slow enough to make out details, she was a horribly easy target to any passers-by. Well, nothing for it. She'd have to try and hope for the best. She hadn't been too far out; it shouldn't be too much farther to her destination. These houses were vaguely familiar, she noted, peering out of the rain-slicked canopy. She remembered seeing them the last time she'd visited, years ago. Most of the people were okay, she supposed. They didn't particularly interest her at the moment, though. She was looking for her own place, which she was _sure_ was right around here. Just a _little_ farther up ahead, actually, if she remembered correctly...

And she did.

However, she realized with a cold feeling in her gut that she did _not _remember the Venomian troop transport parked on her lawn.

The vixen lowered her ship far faster than the recommended speed for a landing, a few houses down the road. She'd decided not to strafe the Venomian transport just yet; she had to be sure Taim wasn't on board yet. And there was nothing stopping her from blowing it to oblivion once he was safe, so... An explosion now or in five minutes, it didn't particularly concern her.

But, she knew that it was empty. Somehow, she was one hundred percent sure there wasn't a soul within the ship. She couldn't have explained it, but she trusted her instincts.

Something was a little different, though. It wasn't quite the same as how she usually knew or guessed something by instinct. She just knew. The information was just _there_, as though she had already read the script, hence how she knew what everyone was going to say.

Very odd, but this wasn't the time to dwell.

The canopy hissed open, depressurizing. Anaiya took a deep breath, lifting her pistols. T

heir battery lights were green.

With an exhale and a decisive nod, she swung herself over the side.

* * *

Two shots, with a quick flash of light for each, and two corpses hit the floor. Their guns struck a moment later, clattering loudly, but Anaiya had already moved on, her guns cracking in a staccato symphony of death.

The Venomian soldiers didn't stand a chance. It was, quite honestly, too easy; she knew, just_ knew_, what they were going to do, how quickly they'd raise their weapons, where they would fire.

And it made it child's play to eliminate them.

She breezed almost absently around a lizard's frantic shots, his lasers stitching a line of smoking holes in the floor and wall behind her. But she was always a step ahead, and then she put a laser in his forehead, and she didn't need to dodge any longer. His partner, whom she knew would be rounding the corner in a moment, died a moment after, her offhand, careless shot catching him high in the chest. His body armor was no protection against her high-power lasers.

The vixen paused for a moment.

This was easy. This wasn't challenging in the least. It was like she was back in school, taking a test, and the test was a joke because she'd already seen the answers.

How did something like this happen? It was unnatural.

Still, she wasn't complaining. The faster they died, the faster she could get to Taim. That class of Venomian troop transport could carry a squad or two of up to thirty members, and she had noticed that some of the harnesses were still buckled on her way in. No one buckled their harness after leaving. That meant they hadn't been occupied. She had anywhere from ten to twenty soldiers to deal with.

Well, zero to ten, then. She had already fired ten shots.

There was a group of them in the laundry room, right next to the hallway leading to the basement stairs.

Anaiya put a pair of crimson darts through the door, killing the soldier she knew was on the other side of the room. The vixen kicked the door open, breezing low and the to side to dodge the volley of lasers that screamed through the air she had just occupied.

_Crack, crack, crack, crack, _and four Venomians lay dead.

And Anaiya was already moving on.

The last of them would be downstairs trying to breach the bunker, she knew. They wouldn't have gotten through already; it would've taken some extremely powerful cutting tools to shear through the reinforced bunker wall in so short a time.

Still, there was no time to waste. Anaiya set herself and barreled through the door, plunging down the stairs headfirst and rolling off her shoulder to her feet, pistols blazing before she hit the ground. Three of the Venomians were dead before they could turn around, and only one of the remaining two even got to squeeze his trigger before a bolt took his life.

Anaiya exhaled slowly, lowering her weapons.

Clear.

She turned her attention to the heavy blast door before her, and her stomach began to tie itself in nervous knots. It was amusing, in an annoying sort of way; She could face down a squad of Venomian soldiers without breaking a sweat, but she couldn't face her own son.

Maybe she felt guilty for being such a terrible mother. That would make sense.

She crushed that chain of thought immediately. She'd done the best she could with a bad situation. With slow, precise strokes, Anaiya typed out the twenty-three digit password on the control panel, her heart in her throat as the locks disengaged with heavy _thunks_.

The bunker doors slid open and Anaiya swallowed, staring into the gloomy interior illuminated by the crimson emergency lights.

He must be farther in. Selena, too. They wouldn't wait right by the entrance if they knew someone was coming in. It was a decent-sized place, with lots of hidey holes. It might take her a while to-

"Mom!"

She saw him running towards her, ignoring the calls of "Wait!" from the woman behind him.

One of her pistols found its holster, the other simply clattered to the floor as it missed, but she didn't care. She was already moving forward to meet him, nothing else in her mind but his delighted smile.

Anaiya and Taim collided in a crushing hug, the vixen sweeping her son off his feet and whirling him around and, for the first time in years, letting out a genuine, joyful laugh.

Anaiya sank to her knees, Taim's face crushed into her shoulder and his arms as tight around her as hers were around him. She felt her eyes stinging with tears but refused to cry, rocking slowly back and forth.

Finally. Finally, he was with her again. And this time, there would be no separation as she returned to Raaze, no stoic goodbyes from her while Taim, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, not knowing why but understanding that she had to go, waving farewell. Raaze's shadow didn't fall over her any longer. She was not his pawn. She could take Taim and vanish forever, and Raaze would never find her, or her son. She could be the mother he needed now, maybe not the one he deserved, but all she could be.

Never again would she leave him.

"Hi, mom," Taim said, his voice muffled by the fur on her neck. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Tye," Anaiya murmured thickly. "But I'm here now. And I'm not leaving again."

"There you are, Anaiya! Good timing!" Selena jogged up to them, panting slightly and shifting the large assault rifle in her arms. "I was wondering if I was going to have to take them all on myself. You take a nap, or something?"

"Nice to see you too, Selena," Anaiya groused, still stroking Taim's back, "I got here as soon as I could."

"I know you did," her friend sighed, "but we've gotta move now. How'd them damn Venomians know we were here, anyway?"

"Language," Anaiya rebuked swiftly, reluctantly releasing Taim and standing, "but good question. I'm not sure. We can't stay here anymore, now. We've got to find a new place to find. My ship's not big enough for the three of us, plus I don't fancy my chances of running the blockade again."

"You ran a blockade?" Taim gasped, obviously quite impressed. "I read about Starfox doing that during the Lylat Wars in history class. Did you have to-"

"Sorry, honey," Anaiya interrupted, "I'll tell you all about it later, but right now we need to get to safety. After that, we can talk all night. I'll give you plenty of stories to tell your friends."

Taim brightened. "Okay! But, uh, we could go to my school! It's not really far away, and we have a bomb shelter there; we did drills last month. Then you can meet Sarah's and James's parents, too, if they're there. They'll _have_ to believe me now, if you say all I stuff I told them is true!"

She'd heard those names before. His best friends from school. "Yeah, we can do that," she promised. "Now, I need you to be a grow-up for a while. Remember how I said you don't have to do it for too long, and then you can be a kid again?"

Taim nodded quickly.

"Okay. I need you to stay as quiet as possible, stay with Selena, and, no matter what happens, do exactly what I say. _Anything_ I say, even if you don't like it. Can you do that for me?"

Taim nodded again, his face serious. "Yes, mom."

Anaiya hugged him, kissing his forehead. "Good kid. I knew I could count on you. Now, you've gotta show me the way to your school. Ready?"

Her son stood up straight and nodded, and her heart swelled with pride. "

There ya go," Selena said, slipping the battery out of her assault rifle and checking the charge, "now let's get going before anyone else shows up."

Anaiya squeezed Taim again, slipping a tiny tracking beacon into the fabric of his shirt. "Good idea. I'll go first."

She retrieved her fallen pistol and drew her second before advancing up the stairs, weapons raised. It was doubtful there would be any hostiles so soon after the first group was dispatched, but Anaiya was taking no chances.

Selena and Taim waited at the bottom of the stairs, then started up once Anaiya signalled them. They moved quietly through the house, the faint crackling of flames and distant alarms the only sounds breaking the silence. Selena carefully averted Taim's eyes each time they came across the corpse of a Venomian soldier, and Anaiya felt a stab of regret, quickly quashed. There hadn't been any time to move them. She couldn't worry about that now.

The vixen paused in the doorway to the atrium, staring down the hall to the open door that led outside.

Something wasn't right.

Had she left the door open? She couldn't remember. Selena and Taim, alerted by her sudden stop, paused, Selena shifting her rifle nervously.

"Wait here," Anaiya whispered, and Selena nodded, her fingers drumming a tattoo onto her weapon's grip. Taim stared up at her, biting his lip in worry, and Anaiya ruffled his fur once before slowly advancing down the hall.

It was utterly silent. Nothing seemed out of place, besides the door. Three corpses, a shattered mirror…Exactly the same as she had left them.

Was she imagining things? Maybe she _had_ left the door open. It was entirely possible.

Then there was a slight click, and Anaiya knew she wasn't imagining things.

The far wall exploded and she was hurled back to crash with terrific force into the wall behind her. One pistol left her grip, and above the sudden din she heard Taim scream for her.

Anaiya tried to jump back to her feet, but tremendous pain suddenly wracked her, and all she succeeded in doing was rolling onto her shoulder. She looked down, and noticed the half dozen pieces of destroyed wall stabbed through her torso. She coughed once, and blood splattered.

Laserfire stitched across the room, and Selena fell, a pair of bolts bursting through her chest. A figure moved through the haze of debris towards the transfixed Taim, and-

Flash.

There was a slight click, and Anaiya dove forward, rolling flat as the explosion hurled shrapnel over her. Her pistols blazed toward the newly-formed hole, red lasers lancing through the dust and smoke. Two figures ducked inside the breach, one bringing a rifle up half a second before Anaiya cannoned into him, his rifle and her pistol scattering away in the collision and carrying both of them to the floor.

"_Go!"_ She shouted, firing blindly at the second figure. She heard Taim scream for her again, though it was really only the first time, and Selena shout something as well, her friend's rifle barking once before falling silent as they fled out the front door.

There was no time to worry about them. She turned her full attention to the battle at hand.

The figure she grappled with was very good, executing a swift twist and disengaging himself from the vixen, who was only too happy to oblige. She caught a glimpse of black armor and glowing red goggles in the hazy air before he struck at her wrist, a frighteningly fast blow that sent her remaining pistol spinning free. Anaiya's open palm struck him square in the chest an instant later, sending him stumbling back. She was prevented from finishing him off by his partner's intervention, forced to dance backwards by the second figure's weaving knives.

They separated for a moment, the first figure, a male, recovering his balance while his female partner waved her pair of knives back and forth, trying to distract and cause an opening.

Anaiya waited only a second, but it was a second too long, as a bolt blasted from the shrouded air between her opponents, a third figure, catching her along the side of the head. She staggered, dizzy, her limbs growing suddenly heavy as they moved in-

Flash.

Anaiya waited not even a second, snapping her head to the side as a laser whined out of the dust and smoke, her wrists flicking and sending a pair of knives arcing towards her would-be killer, then flicking again and planting a second pair of weapons in her palms as she darted forward, reengaging her two visible foes. She deflected the female's first strikes with one of her own, turning sideways into a heavy kick that stopped abruptly as the male caught her foot. He pulled backwards sharply, trying to jerk her off balance, but Anaiya jumped into the tug, planting her boots hard in his chest before kicking off, feeling the crunch of ribs beneath her feet. She felt an icy spike pierce her back as she landed, a knife burying itself near her spine. The female's followup attack cut deep into-

Flash.

She kicked off, feeling the crunch of ribs beneath her feet. Her knife spun behind her as she landed, the clang of metal on metal letting her know she had successfully blocked the incoming attack. Anaiya lashed out backwards with her foot, clipping her opponent on the hip and sending her into a stumble. She whirled to finish the female off, but someone cannoned into her from behind, knocking her to the-

Flash.

She whirled to finish the female off, but swayed to the side as a third figure hurtled past her, momentum causing the new female to overshoot her mark. The new woman recovered quickly, goggles glinting as she drew a long knife, the blade sheathed in a haze of energy. She darted forward, and Anaiya charged to meet her, hurling both of her knives forward. One of the blades was batted aside by the newcomer's weapon, the metal knife deforming from only a second of contact with the dangerous energy field. Anaiya's second knife cut through the female's black outfit, drawing a line of blood on her arm, and then the two women struck.

Anaiya was on the defensive, ducking and weaving to evade the deadly energy sword. She breezed to the side, letting the weapon pass within a hairsbreath of her side, then snapped her elbow down, trapping the woman's wrist as her other hand whistled forward, stiffened fingers aimed for the throat. The female whipped her head back as far as it would go before snapping it forward. Anaiya's outstretched fingers broke with an audible crack as the reinforced goggles smashed into them, and agony shot through the vixen as her opponent's forgotten energy blade spun, cutting easily through her flesh-

Flash.

The female whipped her head back as far as it would go before snapping it forward. Anaiya's clenched fist connected with her opponent's forehead with an audible crack, one of the vixen's knuckles breaking but inflicted far more damage on her opponent. She staggered, stunned, before Anaiya attacked again, this time aiming at the elbow of the arm she held trapped. Her opponent's arm resisted for a second as Anaiya bent it, then the limb gave and snapped. The vixen kicked the deadly energy sword free, sending it skittering away from the melee, before ducking and spinning away as her first two opponents rejoined the fray. Anaiya fell back, on the defensive as they pressed hard, giving their teammate time to recover. Two opponents at once was no easy feat, particularly since they knew what they were doing. She worked her entire body, deflecting strikes with her elbows and forearms, her knees and shins shifting hard kicks away from their marks. She caught the male's wrist as he struck out and twisted sharply. The avian figure spun low with it, stopping his wrist from shattering, and his partner threw herself over his hunched back, feet first, toward Anaiya and forced her to release the hold to dodge.

They worked well together, very well, and it was stopping her from winning. If one went high, the other went low. If one went left, the other went right. Individually, she could've taken any of them, but together they weren't going down. While they hadn't landed any telling blows on her yet, they weren't exerting as much energy as she was. Granted, she didn't have a broken arm, ribs, or anything of that nature yet, but the longer this dragged on, the higher chance something would go wrong.

Or happen to Taim.

She glanced toward the second woman, with the broken arm, and snarled in pain as the thrown energy blade stabbed through her shoulder-

Flash.

She ducked, feeling the thrown energy blade cut a line across her shoulder and threw herself into a roll under the roundhouse kick the woman snapped at her.

The way they moved, the way they fought, it was so familiar.

Then all three came at her at once, each hurling a flurry of strikes, and she knew this move, and knew she couldn't avoid all of them. Her leg came up, blocking the male's kick, and she deflected two of the first female's strikes, and then the third enemy struck her in the upper back and head, and the remainder of the first woman's attacks struck.

Flash.

Flash.

Flash.

Then all three came at her at once, each hurling a flurry of strikes, and Anaiya moved.

She weaved to the side, avoiding a pair of blows at her head and upper torso from behind, her hands slapping aside no less than six successive jabs and hand strikes, her leg snapping out to collide with the blow coming in from her left.

The thrown energy blade hit the wall with a loud crackle, and stuck there.

The speed of that…was utterly insane. She shouldn't have been able to move _that_ fast, even good as she was.

Anaiya leapt up, twirling around and lashing out with her legs at the two in front, and slamming her palms into the chest of the one behind her. They all staggered back, stunned not only by those blows, but by the fact that she had escaped that attack without even a _single_ hit.

But Anaiya did not move. She knew them, now, but that wasn't what gave her pause.

She knew they were four.

"Where's Thane?" She asked, voice cold.

They froze, Kestrel, Talon, and Seer exchanging an unreadable look behind their black masks.

"Here," came a voice, distorted by some electronics, from behind and left of her. She turned, HUD whirring, and her heart stopped.

She hadn't noticed his tracker moving closer.

Thane stood in the open doorway, a pistol in his hand, barrel at Taim's head. Her son was very still in front of his captor, his lips trembling ever so slightly, his eyes only slightly watery. She was _so_ proud of him, and loved him _so_ much. Selena was on her knees beside him, shaking, her hands behind her.

Anaiya's pride turned instantly to rage, however, as she spotted a line of blood running staining the white of the fur on Taim's head.

Thane was going to die, student or no.

Thane must've seen the mounting fury in her eyes, because he pressed the weapon harder into Taim's temple, and she stilled immediately. "Your kid stabbed me," he said, free hand motioning to a bloody hole in his leg. "Sorry, Ice, but you and him are coming with us." He shrugged, almost regretfully. "Orders. You know."

"You leave my son out of this," she hissed, fists clenching, it's got nothing to do with him."

"I'm sorry, but our orders were explicit. You, him…" He paused. "And no one else."

His pistol moved and, with a bark and flash of bloody light, shot Selena in the head.

Taim's scream of horror was drowned out by the roar of rage that filled Anaiya's ears. With the weapon no longer on Taim, she had nothing stopping her. She could cover the distance before he got the gun back into place.

She had covered more than half the distance between them, and Thane's pistol was just swinging back to Taim, when someone shot her in the back.

She staggered, careening wildly as she fought to maintain her balance, listing around to look behind her.

Each of them had a pistol raised and aimed at her, Kendra's glowing with the tell-tale discharge of energy. Anaiya saw nothing behind her emotionless red lenses.

Then, slowly, Tarne squeezed off a shot, and Siriani followed suit.

The two rounds struck her in quick succession, each shot sending her stumbling back a bit more and doubling over. A numbing cold spread through her, and she collapsed, striking the ground and sending up a cloud of dust.

She had failed.

The most important mission of her life, she had had condemned her son to death, or worse, and it was all because she was just too damn weak.

Her last sight was of Taim running for her, tears now streaking down his cheeks, his mouth moving, before a blue bolt struck him in the back, and he dropped as well.

Anaiya tried to scream, either in fury or fear, she didn't know, but her mouth refused to move and the helpless sound merely echoed inside her head, following her down into the dark.

* * *

Sin returned his pistol to the holster at his side, stared down at the unconscious child at his feet, and felt a small twinge of regret.

A shame, to ruin three lives with one pistol round.

He moved around the corpse of the wolf he'd killed, eying her prosthetic limb distastefully. Perhaps she was better off. The other two, however...

Seer, favoring her wrecked arm, crouched over Ice's prone body, checking her for injuries. She looked up at Sin, lenses flashing, and he knew she was pissed off.

"You didn't need to _taunt_ her," the lynx hissed, voice made menacing by the electronic distortion. "It was bad enough what we were doing to her."

"Yes," Sin shot back, "throwing yourselves at her like incompetent _morons_ was pretty bad, wasn't it?"

"She's ridiculous," Kestrel put in, staring down at their former mentor with an odd note of wonder in her voice, "she moves _so_ fast. She wasn't that good just a few years ago."

"Regardless," Sin snapped, "we're behind schedule. Get them up and let's go."

Seer stared at him for a moment longer before averting her gaze, awkwardly removing a set of electro-cuffs from her belt with her one working arm. Talon bent down to help her, securing Ice's wrists behind her back and then slinging the unconscious vixen over his shoulder. Kestrel did the same to the kid, albeit much more gently. Sin stepped outside into the rain and made his way towards their shuttle, the rest of his team trailing behind. Talon moved gingerly to avoid agitating his broken ribs, Seer doing the same for her arm, and Kestrel walked with a definite limp in her step.

Ice's head bounced against Talon's back with each step he took, her eyes mercifully closed. Sin did not envy whatever Raaze had planned for those two.

"Inform the _Firestorm_ our extraction was a success," he called out to the pilot, stepping into the vessel, "and take us up."

* * *

A few minutes later they were airborne, the small shuttle streaking upward through the atmosphere and away from dismal Zoness. The Phantoms were strapped into their harnesses on one side of the vessel, while Ice and her son were securely restrained on the opposite side. Talon was wheezing slightly, and Seer's air came in heavy, labored breaths. All of their eyes were fixed on their unconscious ex-mentor, tensing at her slightest twitch. With a few quick clicks, Sin sent a reply to his earlier message, detailing their success.

Raaze would be pleased.

"Hold on back there" came the pilot's voice over the speakers, "we're exiting the atmosphere, and entering a standoff between a Cornerian fleet and the _Firestorm_."

"The Commander can take them," Sin said confidently.

"I sure hope you're right, because-" The voice cut off abruptly, then the pilot was speaking again, and urgently. "Guess the standoff's over. Fire incoming from the Corernian fleet, all towards us!"

Kestrel growled low in her throat, and Seer inhaled sharply.

Sin blinked.

There was an _entire_ fleet shooting at their little cruiser?

… Well.

They might be screwed.

"Drone shuttle incoming from the _Firestorm_," their pilot reported, his voice strained but excited. "It's pulling up alongside. The Commander came through for us, ladies and gents. Brace."

The ship rocked slightly and there was a series of dull thuds against the hull.

"Drone destroyed," came the update, "but it saved us. We're pulling into landing bay three."

The pilot exhaled heavily, his excitement palpable. "Whatever you guys've got back there must be damn important."

_Yes,_ Sin thought, gazing at Ice's still face, tense even in unconsciousness, _it is._

* * *

- _You overstep your bounds, Raaze. _

_You agreed to leave her to me. Do you have any idea how much effort it required to infiltrate the _Great Fox?

_How much of my time you have now wasted?_

_You will regret this._

Oh, Ishanah, how your empty threats intimidated. Still, if the message came from the _Great Fox_, as the message claimed, that was quite a feat. Ishanah was an unknown quandary; Raaze did not have a complete idea of what his former ally was capable of. But, he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

"I don't think you quite understand," Tobias was saying, "exactly how valuable this sample is." The doctor gesticulated wildly, waving a print-out of information. "This, what you've given me is barely even the same virus. No, it's not the same one. It's very different. The sample you gave me isn't the Ragnarok virus; no no, not anymore. It's a totally different strain. The virus bonded with whoever this was, _attached_ itself to their blood, their cells, their very DNA, and became something very, very different. Do you realize-"

Raaze was only half listening to Tobias rant, more interested in the new message that appeared on his computer screen from his loyal Phantom:

_Our mission was a success, on both charges. We have the vixen, her son, and Project Purity. _

_Awaiting further orders._

Very, very good. Raaze smiled, closing both the messages from Sin and from Ishanah.

"-could change all of our plans, if we figure out what this new strain can do, I mean, _look_ at these results! Do you have any idea what a person with this in their system would be capable of? Their reflexes, speed, strength-"

"Doctor," Raaze cut in smoothly, "you're rambling again."

Tobias shut up immediately, his teeth coming together with an audible snap.

"How kind of you to let me have a word. Now, what would it require for you to continue your research on this new strain?"

Tobias paused a moment, wondering if he was allowed to speak, and Raaze nodded encouragingly. "Well," he began, "my lab at the alpha site is quite sufficient, of course, but I need more _samples_. Without those, I can't really get far. If you could find the person this came from, and give them to me, I could give you _so_ much-"

"Doctor."

"Aah, yes, yes. Uh, the person, preferably living."

"Funny you should mention that, Doctor," Raaze said amiably, wondering fleetingly why Tobias blanched at the sound of his voice right there, "I have that very person coming to you now."

The rat brightened. "Oh, how wonderful." He paused a moment, stealing a sidelong glance at Raaze before continuing. "The odds of this virus mutating, bonding at such an intimate level in a person, _any_ person, are so microscopic I can't even begin to calculate them. It's as if whoever this is was, hmm, specifically _designed_ for this. Or the other way around, maybe."

"It does seem that way, Doctor," Raaze said, a terrible smile playing across his face, "how odd, indeed."

* * *

Yes.

Now, tell me honestly, when Gage noted her tracker on the shuttle in the last chapter, who thought she'd stowed away, or stolen it? Who _really _thought she'd been captured?

I'm interested. Tell me.

And a special note from a girl on the internet (I know, right? It's true though.) She didn't think I'd leave this in here, which is the only reason she wrote it, and she's going to be _so_ embarrassed when she sees it. Or something like that. Anyway, she looked over that sappy garbage that I'm no good at as a favor before I uploaded this. So blame her if you don't like it. I'm not actually being mean, though. I appreciate it. Thanks again X. Quote:

"Also thanks to the amazing theXbeat08 for editing the sappy stuff, this chapter would be crap without her, la di da…."

And there you have it. Don't expect a new chapter any time soon. I've spoiled you enough.


	18. Chapter Fifteen: Idle Speculation

Hello hello. I am indeed alive, although it was quite close once.

I've noticed one of the problems that comes with posting things chapter by chapter: You can't go back and change things you no longer like, or have improved upon. It's frustrating, and it's been one of the (many) things that's slowed this up. Although, it's been so long since I updated everyone has probably forgotten everything and I could safely start over.

Oh well.

A short chapter here, even though it took longer than any full length chapter. Lots of PoV switching, as per usual.

Not enough seems to get done in so short a chapter, but...

We'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll be able to get them out faster-

Haha, what a good joke.

My main gripe is having to come up with more good quotes.

Also, the more keen-eyed of you may have noticed I removed that awkward possession...thing, from the summary. It's been bothering me for a while, and I was never 100% sure it was correct.

**Disclaimer: **StarFox and related characters/locations are property of Nintendo. Anaiya is mine, along with the plot and any other original characters I don't list here. Gage Birse and Dagger Team are property of Foxmerc.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: Idle Speculation

-The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on.

**Joseph Heller**

* * *

"Well," Fox said, drumming his fingers on the arm of his command chair, "that didn't go so well."

Reines snorted, his image flickering slightly. "I wasn't about to risk going head to head with the _Firestorm _unless I absolutely had to, and I didn't. We'll relay the information we got, and go from there." He grimaced. "Hopefully we'll be heading back at the head of a full complement, though."

They were in hyperspace, having successfully jumped away from Zoness and the _Firestorm's_ devastating firepower towards Corneria.

"What information _did_ we get, though?" Gage's hologram asked. "I couldn't see anything down in the 'bay."

"We know that Zoness's defenses were overwhelmed," Kerrigan put in, "and that Aurian got whatever he was after down there. There's no reason for him to hang around anymore. Best case scenario, he pulls out of Zoness, and that's that." She hesitated. "Worst case, he glasses the planet. Or bunkers down there and settles in for a defense of his new territory."

"And if he does that," Reines finished, "then we might be looking at another push towards galactic dominion from Venom." He shook his head slightly. "Hell, we've already got the Second Lylat War on our hands, why not complete the image?"

And it was _not_ a good image.

"What do you think about what he said," Fox asked, frowning, "about acting independently from Venom?"

Gage shrugged. "A bluff," he said, "to try and throw us off balance."

"It's something to keep in mind, though," Kerrigan objected, "if only to be prepared, whatever the case."

Gage nodded, though his expression was skeptical.

Fox felt the back of his neck prickle, his hackles rising. He glanced over his shoulder towards the bridge door.

Ayame stood there staring at him, framed in the shadows of the dark hallway beyond her. She grinned at him as he took note of her, slouching against the door frame. She held a finger dramatically against her lips, shaking with repressed glee as the holograms from the _Raven's Flight_ continued their discussion, oblivious to Fox's inattention.

Fox scowled at her, muting his microphone. How had he not heard her approach? "What are you doing?"

Ayame reached into her pocket and pulled out a bent cigarette, fumbling slightly before placing it casually between her teeth. She paused for a moment in consternation, realizing she had nothing to light it with, and then took a long drag from the unlit smoke stick.

Somehow.

"Nawthin'," she drawled, then coughed.

"Go away," Fox commanded.

Ayame blew an imaginary smoke ring at him.

The opposite door opened and Scar walked back in, his expression souring as he spotted the newcomer. He stomped over to her and snatched the cigarette out of her mouth.

"No smoking," he said crossly.

Ayame scowled, sticking her tongue out at the wolverine before turning and skipping away into the darkened corridor.

"Idiot," Scar groused, turning to look around the rest of the bridge. "She's always hanging around at the worst times."

Fox stared after the departing wolf for a moment, lips pursed. He suddenly felt a lot more regretful he had let all of them onto his ship.

He turned his attention back to the holo-conference, which had continued uninterrupted.

"We still don't know what it _was_ that he was after, though," Gage was saying, "and that could make all the difference. If he was only on Zoness for that one thing, that would change our entire game plan."

"Not completely," Kerrigan objected, "Either way, we still have to retake Zoness, whether or not he was there for something specific."

"Yeah," Gage allowed, "but if he only wanted one specific thing, he won't still be there."

"Whatever the case may be," Reines said, interrupting them, "we'll decide later. I'll brief General Pepper and General Katas when we arrive. I imagine Katas will be taking over leadership when this spearhead gets off the ground. For now, Captain Birse and his team will transfer over to the _Great Fox_ when we drop out of hyperspace. Captain McCloud, you'll accompany us again when we head back out."

"Yes sir," Fox said, echoing Gage.

"I don't expect us to wait around for too long. I'm sure the assault force Katas was assembling when we left is prepared and good to go. Dismissed, gentlemen. Kerrigan, a word."

The holograms crackled and died, and Scar grunted, his arms folded. "I don't like this," the wolverine announced. "It doesn't feel right."

Fox swiveled his chair to face the grizzled veteran, his fingers steepled. "I know," he agreed. "But give me _your_ reasons."

"I can't put my finger on it," Scar said, looking annoyed with himself for admitting the fact. "There's too many things about this that just seem too…I don't know. Convenient?"

Fox waited silently as Scar began to pace the length of the bridge.

"I'm no general, but Aurian was _good_. The war wasn't _that_ long ago, and I remember the stuff he did. Everything he did, he did with a purpose. He always had some goal in mind, something worth the risks he took. Shanxi Harbor was a _huge_ risk for him to take, but he won that and crippled the majority of our war effort. Attacking Zoness like he just did was very, very dangerous; he just brought the entire Lylat system down on Venom's head. Even if he's_ not_ associated with Venom, like he claims, _everyone_ is going to be looking for him now, Venom or not. He survived this long since the war by lying low and slipping out of mind. He's not going to be able to hide forever." Scar paused and looked at Fox significantly. "Whatever he got from Zoness, it was worth giving up all of that. And that scares me. What could be worth it? What was on that ship he sacrificed so much to get?"

And he was right. Fox had been wondering about that exact thing himself.

"I don't know," he said, "but I think that needs to be our priority. Retaking Zoness will probably be the only way we'll get that answer, too."

Scar nodded, and the bridge communicator pinged. Fox flicked a switch to receive the call.

Gage's voice crackled over the speakers. "Hey, Fox. We've either got a big problem or an ace in the hole."

Fox frowned. "What's up?"

"Anaiya's on the _Firestorm._"

Fox saw Scar stiffen, and felt basically the same way.

The woman simply couldn't keep her nose out of _an_y_thing_, could she?

"How the hell did she sneak aboard?"

"Ah." Gage did not sound too happy. "That's the million credit question, isn't it? Did she sneak aboard, was she captured, or did she go willingly?"

Scar was pacing again. A nervous habit of his, Fox noticed. "She didn't defect," the wolverine growled. "And how do you know she's there?"

"Tracker," Fox answered, then frowned as Scar nodded, unsurprised. "You expected that?"

The grizzled wolverine shrugged. "Fair's fair," he said distractedly, "I'm sure she did it to you."

"All I know," Gage continued after a moment, "is that she went up on that vessel right before the _Firestorm_ started to blast us."

"Funny," Fox said, sharing a significant look with Scar, "we were just talking about that."

"Oh?"

"So was it her," Scar mused, "or something else?"

"We won't know until we get back to Zoness," Fox said. "Maybe it was some kind of experimental technology, something like that. Venom's always been interested in making things explode."

"But _Zoness_ isn't," Gage objected. "They've never been nearly as militarily-focused as Venom. Besides, since the Lylat War, I would think restoring has been more on their minds than destroy…" He trailed off suddenly, looking thoughtful.

"You thought of something," Scar guessed.

"Yeah," Gage said, speaking quickly, "you remember that announcement Kalin made a few months ago?"

Fox frowned slightly. Zoness's president was not a terribly memorable figure, though he was good at his job. He really couldn't recall the news Gage was referring to.

Scar could, though, judging by the sharp intake of breath from the wolverine.

"Yeeees," he said, the word hissing slowly out, "Project Purity."

Gage nodded. "Exactly."

The name was familiar, Fox felt he was missing something important. "I'm still lost," he announced. "Someone fill me in."

"You remember this," Gage said, his words slightly rushed, "it was that huge announcement Zoness made a while ago, they made a big deal out of it. New technology they were on the verge of creating. It would-"

"Purify the oceans," Fox finished, the information coming back now, "all the polluted water that Venom had caused, and cure the sick."

"Right," Scar said, picking up the narrative, "and we were just talking about experimental technology…"

"But _beneficial_ technology?" Fox raised an eyebrow skeptically. "If it doesn't kill someone, since when does Venom have a use for it?"

"That's the big question, then, if we're right and that _is_ what they were after."

The _Great Fox's_ communicator pinged again.

"We'll talk more at the debriefing," Fox told Gage, "I've got another call coming through."

"Got it." Gage hesitated a moment. "Watch yourself. There's a lot of things…_not right_ about all of this, and whenever something bad goes down, you _always_ find a way to get involved. Careful."

Gage cut the connection, and the speakers died.

"Ain't that the truth," Scar muttered.

Fox punched a button on his command chair's armrest, and the caller's voice came through the speakers.

It was not anyone he expected.

"I need to talk to her," the caller said, his voice harsh and breathless, "_now_."

Fox frowned, not recognizing the voice, but Scar's head snapped up, and his scowl returned.

"Who is this," Fox demanded, "and who are you talking about?"

"My name's Rogosh," the caller said, "and I'm talking about _Anaiya_."

Fox glanced at Scar, who made a quick shushing gesture at him.

Circles within circles. How did this guy know her? And why didn't Scar want this Rogosh to know he was there?

And why was it _always_ her?

"She's not answering my calls," Rogosh continued, "and I saw you at Zoness. The last time you showed up and she disappeared, she ended up with you. I see a pattern."

"Well she's not here," Fox said, voice firm. "Why do you want to know?"

Rogosh began cursing, his voice growing muffled as he turned slightly away from the microphone. Fox's eyebrows rose slightly at the coarseness of a few of the obscenities. "It's none of your business why," he said a moment later, voice louder, "it's personal."

"Too bad," Fox said flatly, "I have no idea who you are, or what exactly it is that's "personal". I'm not telling you anything."

The connection died a moment later as Rogosh snarled in frustration, followed by a sharp crack, then silence.

Fox turned to look at Scar. "Who was _that?"_

Scar grimaced. "Rogosh 'Blacktail,' as he styles himself. He heads up the gang of thugs Anaiya and I used to belong to."

"I thought you were mercenaries," Fox said with a frown.

Scar shrugged. "Same thing." He shot Fox a quick glance, then sighed and corrected himself. "For the most part, anyway. He's not really that bad, as far as thugs go. Never exploited any homeless children or anything, so far as I know."

Fox blinked. "...Oh."

"He and Anaiya had a thing going too. He was the one that organized her grand little exit/death during that Corneria fiasco all those years ago, you know. Clever guy. I guess he came on too strong, though; she freaked about something almost half a year later, took off to who knows where. Nobody heard from her for a few years after that." Scar huffed, annoyed. "Spent a long time trying to find her."

"Who did? You or Rogosh?"

"Both of us, really. But not together. He wasn't a bad guy, but...I think she was running _from_ him. And I didn't really want him to find her, if that was the case."

Fox frowned speculatively. Trouble, trouble, trouble. She was always trouble.

The com pinged again.

"Didn't know you were so popular," Scar said with a scowl.

"Neither did I," Fox muttered. What _was_ with all the calls?

He hit the same button again, and a familiar voice flooded through the speakers.

"Yo, Fox! Long time no see, pal."

_That_ was a familiar voice, Fox realized with a guilty start.

"Falco!"

"Oh, so you _do_ remember me." There was a mocking edge to his friend's voice that Fox was not entirely sure was just a joke. "How about Peppy? And Slippy? You know, the little guy who's always-"

"Yes, Falco," Fox cut in, "I remember you."

"Could've fooled me," the falcon grumbled. "You just left us in the lurch like a bad date."

Scar rolled his eyes.

"I know, sorry," Fox said, his tone conciliatorily, "but we were in a hurry."

"Whatever. Just get back here. I know you're up to something, and I want in. I'm itching for some-" There was a muffled yell from Falco's end, and he snorted. "Okay, fine. _We_ want in. The old gang. You remember the group, right?"

"I get it," Fox said wearily, "we'll be back soon. We can talk then."

"Great." Falco ended the call.

"You know," Scar said, "I knew he was full of himself after seeing the interviews after the Lylat War, but I never figured he was such an _ass_ as well."

Fox shrugged. "Falco's not so bad. He's just annoyed; I _did_ run off without them."

"He'll get over it, then."

"Eventually, yeah. Once he gets paid."

"Typical."

Fox looked over at the wolverine, raising an eyebrow.

Scar shrugged. "What? It's true."

Fox shook his head, deciding not to argue the point. "What are you going to do, once we get back to Corneria in…" He checked the readout by his command chair. "...An hour."

Scar sighed. "I'm going to stick around, if that's alright," he said. "You're going back out after the _Firestorm_, and…" He hesitated. "I haven't done a good job of watching out for her so far. I need to make sure she's okay."

Fox did not need to ask who he was talking about. He nodded. "And the others?"

"Jerhyn'll stick with me. I'm not done putting a backbone in the kid yet. I _hope_ Ayame will get bored and run off so we don't have to deal with her, and I haven't even seen Sabre since we got on board." Scar grimaced. "I don't like it. He's dangerous, Fox. Who knows what he's up to."

Fox frowned. "Why did he come in the first place?"

"That's another problem; I've no idea. Ayame probably just thought it'd be fun, but Sabre…He got us on, bypassed your security, but I don't know why. The guy doesn't do things for fun, and _certainly_ doesn't do nice things free of charge. He wanted to be on here, for whatever reason. If he leaves when we dock, we'll know that he got it. If he's still here…" Scar shrugged uneasily. "We should get rid of him."

"I know you don't like him," Fox reminded the wolverine, "Hell, I don't like him either. But if he can help us with the current…situation, then…Maybe we should keep him around."

"Are you paying him?"

Fox blinked. "Well, no. I thought Anaiya took care of that."

"_She_ cashed in a favor, which made them even. He's got nothing holding him here, or even on our _side_, anymore. He could just as soon turn to Venom if they offered him a reasonable amount." Scar scowled darkly. "Scum of the galaxy mercs like him can't be trusted. Though the rest can't be trusted much either."

"Right, well, I'm going to see if I can get in touch with Pepper, see if he's willing to talk about any more of this."

Scar rolled his shoulders. "I suppose I'll go babysit, then," he groused, trotting off the bridge.

Fox shook his head with a quiet snort, turning back to his display readouts.

So much trouble, so little time.

* * *

"General Katas will assume overall command of the operation from the _Sentinel_, Captain," Pepper said, his eyebrows arched severely, "and that is the last I will hear on the subject."

Reines fought back his annoyance, masking his irritation with a sharp salute. "Yes sir."

Pepper eyed him a moment longer, then continued. "_Harbinger's Wrath_ and her supporting fleet will be joining you as well. Three detachments should be sufficient for anything Venom can muster, and I will not leave Corneria completely undefended."

If _three_ detachments weren't enough for what they encountered, Reines thought, then they were in far more trouble than anyone had guessed.

"Katas will proceed to Zoness and liberate the planet from whatever forces Venom has left. Once we receive word that the Venomian presence has been eliminated, relief forces will move in." Pepper fixed Reines with a stern look. "I fully expect General Katas to continue on to Venom once Zoness is secure. This situation cannot be allowed to escalate into another galactic war." Pepper hesitated, and Reines frowned. "To that end, I have given the green light to one of Colonel Strathmore's projects. He will be sending a…_soldier_, along to assist in your mission."

_Now_ Reines was suspicious. "A single soldier, sir?"

"Yes, captain. I have assigned him to your vessel; all you have to do is transport him to the battle. He'll do the rest." Pepper pursed his lips. "He has his orders, Captain, and you have yours: give his ship a berth, and clearance to leave when he requests it. That is all."

Reines stared at the general silently for a moment. "Is there anything else I should know, sir?"

"No. Captain Birse will be receiving his orders shortly; he will be remaining on board, for the moment. Once you enter orbit, you will have time to refuel your vessels before the fleet departs. That is all, captain. Good luck."

"Yes sir." Reines snapped off a salute, which the general returned before his image dissolved. He remained still, though, staring vacantly at the briefing room's wall.

Something more than he was being told was going on, and he didn't like it one bit.

"Lieutenant," he said, turning to face the lynx who had sat silently through the briefing, "tell me what you know of Colonel Strathmore."

Kerrigan had an uncanny ability to know far more than a person of her rank was supposed to, but Reines did not mind. Her knowledge was invaluable, as was her cool and strategic mind. He never asked where the information came from, and she never offered.

"Colonel Strathmore was a field officer during the Lylat War," Kerrigan said immediately, "and performed admirably on the surfaces of both Katina and Macbeth. He was the commander of the garrison at Macbeth, and was the one who ordered the retreat from the planet after his supply lines and the majority of his anti-air munitions were destroyed by Venomian infiltrators. He fell off the radar after that, but began working closely with both the Cornerian science division and, allegedly, some private corporations."

"Anything on recent projects?" Reines asked.

Kerrigan blinked several times, as if willing the information to appear before her. "No, sir," she said reluctantly. "Very little about his unreleased projects is known."

"And his released projects?"

"Colonel Strathmore's research team was responsible for the creation of the ablative armor coating that our special forces utilize. While originally designed for army-wide use, the production proved too expensive for mass distribution. The 'Lockdown' EM round is also attributed to his team."

Reines nodded. "Anything else?"

Kerrigan frowned slightly, her eyes moving back and forth as if she were reading some invisible paper. "Colonel Strathmore was the foremost supporter of genetic modifications for soldiers. Despite the terribly low success rate, he continued to push the project until it was denied."

"What sort of modifications?"

"Enhanced reflexes, speed, strength, eyesight. Even ones that would filter toxic substances from the air the subject breathed, which would eliminate the need for a gasmask."

Reines frowned. "These sound awfully useful. How low was the success rate?"

Kerrigan scowled. "Less than five percent of the applicants were fit for duty after the gene therapy. The remainder either died or didn't take to the procedure. It was deemed far too risky, and the project shut down."

Reines felt a terrible sneaking suspicion. "And what happened to those applicants that successfully took to the changes?"

Kerrigan blinked. "…Unknown. There's no record of what happened to them after."

"I have an idea," Reines growled.

* * *

Thane's eyes snapped open as the transport shuddered to a halt, fingers tightening instinctively on the grip of his rifle.

"We are safely aboard the _Firestorm_," the pilot's disembodied voice informed him, "you may disembark."

Thane nodded absently as he released his safety harness, mimicking the actions of his team around him. He stepped past Kendra as she fussed about Ice's and her son's restraints, opening the hatch to the _Firestorm's_ landing bay.

There was a squad of soldiers, along with a medical team, waiting for them, and as the shuttle's hatch swung up, so too did their rifles. Thane's own weapon was already up and trained on them by the time they brought their guns to bear, and the panther had already jumped back to cover himself with the bulkhead.

There was a tense moment as Thane wondered what the _hell_ was going on, and then a curt, harsh, _very_ familiar voice cut through the stand-off.

"Stand down, guardsmen. The vessel is not compromised."

Commander Aurian swept into the bay, flanked by a pair of armored soldiers. The one on the left, his face concealed behind their signature crimson goggles, allowed his mouth to curve ever so slightly in a faint smile of greeting. Thane did not return the gesture.

Gelltor was one of theirs, a Phantom 'on loan', essentially, from Raaze as a sign of good faith. So far he had done nothing but stand at Aurian's shoulder alongside the commander's other bodyguard.

The soldier on Aurian's opposite side was utterly silent and still, as always. The coyote's unblinking eyes tracked across the bay carefully, ignoring Thane even as all the guardsmen had their weapons trained on him. He wore an odd metal headpiece, which joined with his armor to form an encircling neck guard and rose up to cover his cheeks as well. The metal curved in a half circle as it went farther up, leaving room for his ears as it continued up and over his skull, eventually tapering off just past the bridge of his nose. The rest of his red armor was oddly segmented, constructed of interlocking sections where, on a normal suit, would be a simple large plate. He carried a VAS-43 rifle with, Thane noticed, a modified muzzle break and scope. That was a special operations rifle; very expensive, but far more effective than the standard-issue VA-21 infantry rifle.

This bodyguard was an enigma to everyone except Aurian himself, which may have been why Raaze had offered Gelltor to the commander. The Bodyguard, as he was called, was always at Aurian's side. Never once had Aurian been seen (in person) without the expressionless coyote hovering just behind him, never once speaking a word. It was unsettling.

Aurian's robe swirled around him as he approached, and the guardsmen's rifles dropped immediately as they snapped to attention.

Kendra poked her head around the hatch and instantly followed Thane's example, slipping back into Seer and going ramrod straight at the sight of Aurian.

The commander cut through the salutes with an impatient wave of his hand. "Dismissed, sergeant," he said curtly. "Unload the package and bring it to Engineering." The guardsmen went, not quite scurrying, but definitely in haste, to complete their task. "Doctor, see to your new patient."

Sin stepped back, allowing the medical team to clamber aboard the shuttle. They set to work immediately, moving Ice and the kid to a pair of stretchers and strapping them down.

"Administer a sedative to the female, doctor," Aurian commanded, his crimson eyepieces glinting.

"Sir," the doctor protested, "she is already unconscious. Sedating her could-"

Aurian looked at him and the doctor shut up immediately, moving to administer the sedative as instructed.

"Ensure she has no critical injuries," the commander continued, as if the interruption had never happened, "and proceed to detention block C with all speed. You are expected." The skull mask turned towards Sin, and the panther felt a tiny shiver move through him. "You will brief me on the events of your mission." He surveyed the assembled Phantoms, each standing smartly at attention. At least, Sin _thought_ he surveyed them; it was impossible to tell with that mask. "Report to the medical bay and join me in the briefing room once you have been cleared."

Sin's team snapped off sharp salutes simultaneously, turning as one and marching off, their steps unbroken despite their injuries.

They did not speak as they left the landing bay.

There was nothing to say.

Even as they marched away, Sin could feel the coyote bodyguard's cold eyes boring into the back of his skull.

He was glad Gelltor was at Aurian's shoulder as well.

* * *

His claws clicked on the chair arm in a steady rhythm. A casual gesture, with 'hurry up, now' cues hidden not-so subtly within.

Raaze smiled indulgently at Aurian's hologram as his partner in crime, so to speak, finished his curt narration. "And her wounds had already begun closing? So soon after the fact?"

"That is what I said," Aurian confirmed, his tone clipped.

Raaze suppressed a twinge of annoyance. "Very good. Bring her to the good doctor Tobias's station, and then return to Zoness with your fleet detachment. With your _vaunted_ skill, it should-"

"No." Aurian's flat voice cut sharply across Raaze, and the big cat bared his teeth, unable to hide his fury at the commander's insolence.

"No?" Raaze asked silkily, "no? Perhaps you wish to rephrase that objection, _commander_."

"I do not," Aurian said coldly. "Do not presume to command me in the arts of war. I do not question how you choose to orchestrate your own operations. Leave me to govern the matters I am most proficient at."

"Such _insolence,_ Aurian. You _will_ _not_ speak to me in such tones, old man."

The steady clicking on his chair arm had changed to a creaking groan as Raaze's claws dug deep into it.

"You seem to have forgotten our agreement, Raaze. My forces aiding you is dependent completely upon my own decision, and they are mine and mine _alone_ to command. I am not one of your sniveling minions. You would do well to remember that, should you wish to retain my services." Aurian's crimson lenses held Raaze's glare squarely and unflinchingly.

With a truly monumental effort, Raaze calmed himself, baring his teeth in what could be mistaken for a smile. The white fury still blazed inside, but there would be time to bring Aurian to heel later.

"As it stands," Aurian continued, "the vixen will remain on the _Firestorm_. Your doctor may come here if he wishes to 'test' her."

The fury rose again.

"That was not part of our arrangement," Raaze said, very quietly and very dangerously.

"The arrangement," Aurian said, "has changed. I will expect your doctor. You may retrieve Project Purity, and that is all." The commander's eyepieces gleamed, even through the hologram. "Do not test me."

The image dissolved in a flutter of static.

The arm of Raaze's chair shattered, spraying wooden chips and splinters everywhere.

Aurian's vessels were indispensible, his strategic brilliance even more so. Raaze's capabilities would be severely diminished without them, and many plans would need to be rethought.

But such arrogance from one of Andross's pet experiments could not go unpunished. For now, however, Raaze would play Aurian's game. Tobias would be miffed at not being able to conduct his experiments within his own laboratory, but he would soldier on.

When the time was right, Gelltor would teach the impudent commander what it meant to anger the ruler of Venom.

There was another matter that had to be dealt with, however. Ishanah was a very large problem, if his one-time ally had truly broken ties with him. Raaze had never precisely promised to leave Anaiya to Ishanah; he had merely allowed it to be interpreted that way. Much to his own annoyance, he was not entirely sure as to what Ishanah's goals were, or the infiltrator's interest in Anaiya.

Therefore, he could not allow the vixen to fall into anyone's hand but his own. The jaguar cursed Aurian's insolence again. He lamented Ishanah's change of heart; if his ex-ally really was on the _Great Fox_, Raaze could have eliminated several of his larger threats in a single swoop. Ishanah would never kill them now, however, if only to spite him.

Pity.

Raaze refocused his attention on his terminal, ignoring the splintered arm rest. Doctor Tobias would want to hurry. Raaze needed his test results as soon as possible, and this setback with Aurian skewed the timeframe of the jaguar's plans.

There was work to do yet.


End file.
